How Coffee Trees Are Grown and Harvested

Coffee lovers often wonder: where does coffee actually come from, and how does it get from a tree to your cup? While the origins of drinking coffee are shrouded in myths, what’s clear is that the coffee plant has been cultivated for centuries under very specific conditions. Understanding how coffee trees grow and how their cherries are harvested gives you insight into the care and precision behind every bean.

To go from seed to harvest, a coffee tree typically takes 3 to 4 years to produce fruit, peaks over the next two decades, and can live over 100 years under ideal conditions. Arabica beans, the most widely grown, require cooler temps (15–24°C) and more delicate handling, while Robusta thrives in warmer climates (24–29°C) and resists pests better.

What Is a Coffee Tree?

The coffee plant belongs to the genus Coffea, part of the Rubiaceae (madder) family, which includes over 500 species and 6,000 varieties. Most are tropical shrubs or small trees. The two most commercially important are Arabica (Coffea arabica) and Robusta (Coffea canephora).

Arabica trees grow as large shrubs with oval, dark green leaves and usually bear elliptical fruits containing two flat seeds—what we call coffee beans. Underripe or single-bean fruits yield what’s known as peaberry beans. Robusta plants grow taller (up to 10 m), have rounder, brighter green leaves, and produce smaller, rounder beans with a harsher flavor. A third species, Liberica (Coffea liberica), grows up to 18 m tall and produces large fruits and beans, but it’s rarely cultivated due to its unique taste and low demand.

Where and How Coffee Grows

Coffee cultivation began in Ethiopia and spread through the Arabian Peninsula by the 15th century. Historical accounts note its use for its stimulating effects and even as a breath freshener before regular bathing was common.

Today, coffee is grown in tropical regions across the globe. Arabica accounts for roughly 70% of global production, favored for its quality, while Robusta makes up the rest, valued for its hardiness and higher caffeine content. Key growing factors include:

• Temperature: Arabica prefers 15–24°C; Robusta thrives at 24–29°C.
• Rainfall: Both need around 152 cm annually.
• Altitude: Higher altitudes generally produce better-quality Arabica.
• Shade: Traditionally grown with shade trees to protect from sun and conserve moisture.

Modern farms may use irrigation and fertilizers, mainly on large commercial estates. Coffee can be planted on large estates, smallholder plots, or even between other crops in agroforestry systems.

How Coffee Cherries Develop and Ripen

Coffee trees flower after 3 to 4 years. The small, white, fragrant blossoms grow in clusters and are followed by green coffee cherries. These gradually ripen to a deep red—though some varieties turn yellow—and each cherry typically holds two coffee beans. Inside the bean is a silvery membrane called the silverskin, surrounded by a parchment layer (parchment), then a sweet, pulpy mucilage, and finally the outer skin.

Arabica cherries usually take 6 to 8 months to mature, while Robusta cherries take 9 to 11 months. In regions without distinct wet/dry seasons—like Colombia and Kenya—trees may flower twice a year, leading to two harvests. But generally, each tree has one main ripening period per year.

Harvest timing depends on the hemisphere:

• Northern Hemisphere (e.g., Ethiopia, Central America): September to November.
• Southern Hemisphere (e.g., Brazil, Zimbabwe): April to May, though some regions extend into August.
• Near the Equator (e.g., Colombia, Uganda): Year-round, especially on farms using varied altitudes.

How Coffee Is Harvested

There are two main methods of harvesting coffee cherries: strip picking and selective picking.

• Strip Picking: All cherries are removed from the branch at once, either by hand or machine. This method is faster but gathers unripe and overripe cherries along with ripe ones. It’s more common in Robusta or regions using mechanical harvesters.
• Selective Picking: Only fully red, ripe cherries are hand-picked, typically every 8 to 10 days. This labor-intensive method is used primarily for high-quality Arabica, especially beans that will be processed via washed (wet) methods.

On average, a picker can harvest 50 to 100 kg of cherries per day, but only 20% of that weight is actual coffee beans—about 10 to 20 kg. Those beans are then packed into standard 45–60 kg bags. Filling just one bag can take a worker 3 to 6 days.

Mechanical harvesters, which shake ripe cherries off the branches, are used in flat, well-maintained Brazilian plantations. However, they require straight rows of trees and post-harvest sorting to remove leaves and unripe cherries. Because of terrain, labor availability, and quality concerns, the majority of coffee worldwide is still picked by hand.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for a coffee tree to produce fruit?

A coffee tree typically starts bearing fruit 3 to 4 years after planting. It reaches peak production between 7 and 20 years, and some trees can continue producing for over 100 years under ideal conditions.

What’s the difference between Arabica and Robusta coffee trees?

Arabica trees (Coffea arabica) grow as shrubs, prefer cooler temperatures (15–24°C), and produce beans with a smoother, more complex flavor. Robusta trees (Coffea canephora) are hardier, grow taller (up to 10 m), like warmer climates (24–29°C), and produce smaller, rounder beans with higher caffeine and a stronger, harsher taste.

How often are coffee cherries harvested?

Most coffee trees produce one main harvest per year, though in regions without distinct seasons—like Colombia and Kenya—they may have two flowerings and thus two harvests. Near the equator, altitude differences allow for year-round harvesting on some farms.

Is coffee picked by hand or machine?

The majority of coffee is still picked by hand, especially high-quality Arabica beans. Mechanical harvesters are used in countries like Brazil where plantations are flat and evenly spaced, but they require significant post-harvest sorting.

What are the main coffee harvesting methods?

The two main methods are strip picking (removing all cherries at once, faster but lower quality) and selective picking (picking only ripe red cherries by hand every 8–10 days, used for premium beans).

How many coffee beans are in a cherry?

Each coffee cherry usually contains two beans. Occasionally, a cherry will have just one seed, which is called a peaberry. These make up a small percentage of all coffee beans.

FrontStreet Coffee Beans for Coffee Lovers

Explore FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe for bright floral and citrus notes, and Panama Huacai for complex stone fruit and honey sweetness—both single-origin Arabicas that highlight the care in cultivation. For something richer, try the Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1, known for its balanced, mild profile. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.