What You Need to Know About Coffee Trees

If you’ve ever sipped a cup of coffee and wondered where it all began, the answer starts with a tree—specifically, a tropical evergreen native to Africa. But how much do you really know about the plant behind your daily brew? From its flower to its fruit, and from its natural habitat to the way its seeds are processed, the coffee tree is the foundation of everything we love about coffee.

Coffee trees are native to Ethiopia and belong to the Rubiaceae family, genus Coffea. What we call a 'coffee bean' is actually the seed inside a bright red fruit known as a coffee cherry. These trees thrive in tropical and subtropical climates, mainly between the 25th parallels north and south, in a region commonly called the 'Coffee Belt.'

What Is a Coffee Tree?

Botanically, the coffee tree is a perennial, evergreen shrub or small tree belonging to the Coffea subgenus of the Rubiaceae (madder) family. While often referred to as a tree, cultivated coffee plants are usually kept between two to four metres tall through pruning, though wild ones can reach up to ten metres. The tree produces white, jasmine-scented flowers that bloom in clusters, which later develop into coffee cherries—the fruit containing the coveted coffee seeds.

The coffee tree’s leaves grow opposite each other along horizontal or drooping branches. The two most widely cultivated species are Arabica (Coffea arabica) and Robusta (Coffea canephora). Arabica leaves are around 15 centimetres long, while Robusta leaves are longer, soft and oval or pointed, with a bright green colour.

How Coffee Trees Grow and Produce Fruit

Coffee trees typically begin flowering when they’re about three years old. The small, five-petalled white flowers emit a faint jasmine-like fragrance and bloom in dense clusters. Within two to three days, these blossoms fall off, making way for coffee cherries to form. It takes several months for the cherries to mature.

The coffee cherry is a small, round stone fruit about 1.5 centimetres in diameter. It starts green, turns yellow, and eventually ripens to a bright red—much like a cherry—which is why it’s often called a 'coffee cherry.' This is the stage at which the fruit is ready for harvest.

Inside each cherry are typically two coffee seeds—or beans—that sit facing each other on a flat side. Each bean is encased in a thin membrane called the silver skin, surrounded by a yellowish layer known as the parchment or endocarp. The beans are embedded in a sweet, sticky pulp, which is the fruit’s fleshy part. The outermost layer is the cherry’s skin or exocarp.

The Three Main Coffee Species

All commercial coffee comes from three main species, all of which originated from wild coffee plants:

• Arabica (Coffea arabica): Accounts for around 70% of global coffee production. Known for its higher quality and more delicate flavours, it includes famous coffees like Blue Mountain and Mocha. Arabica leaves are roughly 15 cm long.
• Robusta (Coffea canephora): Makes up about 20–30% of global production. It’s hardier, grows at lower altitudes, and has a stronger, more bitter taste. Its leaves are longer, soft, oval or pointed, and bright green.
• Liberica (Coffea liberica): Less common commercially, but still one of the three original species.

How Coffee Beans Are Harvested and Processed

Once the cherries ripen to red, they are ready to be picked. Inside each cherry are two seeds—the coffee beans. To get to these beans, the cherries undergo processing, and there are two primary methods:

Washed (Wet) Process

The washed method involves soaking the harvested cherries in water tanks for 24–28 hours. Only ripe cherries sink, allowing for an initial quality sort. Then, a machine removes the outer skin and pulp. The beans are fermented in water for half a day to a full day to dissolve any remaining fruit residue. After fermentation, the beans are rinsed and dried in the sun before the final husk (parchment) is removed using a hulling machine. This method tends to produce cleaner, higher-quality beans with fewer defects.

Natural (Dry) Process

In the natural or dry process, coffee cherries are spread out in the sun and dried until the outer skin cracks and the beans can be removed. This method is simpler but relies heavily on consistent weather. It often results in earthier flavours and a higher chance of including underripe beans. The beans are more prone to absorbing external odours and do not store as well as washed beans.

The History and Evolution of Coffee Consumption

Long before espresso machines and pour-over setups, coffee was consumed in much simpler ways. Early records suggest that coffee cherries were originally chewed for their energising properties. Later, people ground the beans, mixed them with animal fat, and consumed them as a travel food. By around the year 1000, boiling raw beans as a beverage became common. It wasn’t until the 13th century that the Arabs discovered roasting, which unlocked the rich aromas and complex flavours we associate with coffee today.

Roasting is what transforms green coffee beans into the aromatic, brown beans used for brewing. Without roasting, coffee would just be a bitter, grassy seed.

How Roast Level Affects Coffee Flavour

Coffee roast levels are generally divided into three main categories:

• Light roast: Bright acidity, more origin characteristics, lighter body.
• Medium roast: Balanced acidity and body, more rounded flavour.
• Dark roast: Bold, bitter flavours, deeper body, less acidity.

The roast level greatly influences the taste of your coffee. Lighter roasts preserve more of the bean’s inherent qualities, while darker roasts bring out more intense, smoky, or chocolatey notes. The ideal roast depends on the coffee bean variety, brewing method, and personal preference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do coffee trees originally come from?

Coffee trees are native to Ethiopia, specifically believed to have been discovered in the Kafa region. This is where the first wild coffee plants were found and later cultivated.

What is the coffee fruit called?

The fruit of the coffee tree is called a coffee cherry. It is a small, round stone fruit that turns red when ripe and contains two coffee beans inside.

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

A coffee tree typically begins to flower and produce fruit around three to four years after planting. It reaches peak production in its early years but may continue to bear fruit for 20–25 years, with some trees fruiting for over a century.

What are the two main types of coffee beans?

The two most common coffee bean species are Arabica and Robusta. Arabica makes up about 70% of global production and is known for its higher quality and nuanced flavours. Robusta accounts for 20–30% and is more bitter, disease-resistant, and grown at lower altitudes.

What’s the difference between washed and natural coffee processing?

Washed (or wet) processing removes the coffee cherry’s skin and pulp using water and fermentation, resulting in cleaner, brighter flavours. Natural (or dry) processing dries the whole cherry in the sun before removing the bean, often leading to fruitier, earthier, and more robust flavours.

How does roast level affect the taste of coffee?

Roast level determines the intensity and flavour profile of coffee. Light roasts have more acidity and origin characteristics, medium roasts are balanced, and dark roasts are bolder with deeper, roasted flavours and less acidity.

Recommended FrontStreet Coffee Beans for Coffee Tree Lovers

Explore the diversity of coffee species and processing through FrontStreet’s classic Arabica offerings. Try the Yirgacheffe from the Gedeb cooperative, a vibrant Ethiopian coffee with citrus and floral notes thanks to its washed process. For a balanced classic, the Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 (Typica) offers smooth chocolate and almond tones with a refined profile. Or dive into floral complexity with the Strawberry Candy Espresso, a Geisha-based blend highlighting the prized Ethopian origin’s fruitiness. All are 100% Arabica. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.