Coffee basics two coffee varieties of coffee beans

Linnaeus classified coffee plants in the Rubiaceae family, e.g. Gardenia. The great naturalist named it Coffea.

Although plants in the wild can grow to 10-12 metres tall, those in plantations are about 3 - 5 metres tall, except in Colombia, where few species exceed 2 metres. This makes farming and picking easier and cultivation more economical.

The leaves turn dark green, light green and bronze yellow according to the stage of growth. The flowers are white, clustered and have a fragrance similar to Spanish jasmine. The flowers soon turn red berries, which vary in color depending on the type of plant.

At first glance, the fruit resembles a large cherry in size and color. This berry is enclosed in a sticky pulp (mesocarp) and covered with a thin film (exocarp). The seeds in the flesh are two bean-shaped fruits that are flat together. Each bean is wrapped in a layer of golden parchment called the endocarp.

Stripping the endocarp reveals the real bean, which is coated with another very thin silver film. The beans vary according to species, being blue-green close to bronze, up to 11 mm long and 8 mm wide. Each species has its own variety, and each variety varies in size, color and pest resistance.

species, growth

Today, some of the most important producing countries grow two major coffee varieties: Arabica and Robusta. Grafting from these two species yields several different species, denoted by the name of the country of production.

Coffea Arabica, a valuable variety, has been grown for centuries and accounts for three-quarters of the world's coffee production. As the name implies, it comes from Arabia and thrives on mineral-rich lands, with well-known subspecies being Moka, Maragogipe, San Ramon, Columnaris, and Bourbon. Arabica coffee from Brazil has the common name Brazilian Coffees; Milds from Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Guatemala, El Salvador, Haiti and Santo Domingo. Arabica coffee is also grown in Africa. Arabica is a full-flavored coffee with a clear taste and lower caffeine content. However, due to the different types of crops, there are also different tastes. Arabica beans look lanky and pale greenish blue.

Coffea Robusta can grow to over 12 meters and up to 600 meters above sea level and grows rapidly, with greater pest resistance. Discovered in Congo in 1898, this robust variety spread widely, especially in Africa, Asia and Indonesia where the climate was not suitable for growing Coffea Arabica. It accounts for a quarter of the world's total production. Due to its higher caffeine content (about twice as high as Arabica) and its strong taste characteristics, Robustas are often used in specialized blends. Overuse and/or incorrect processing results in cheap and bitter coffee with a pronounced "woody feel," a characteristic of natural Robustas from Africa. The washed variety from Indonesia is rarer and more valuable in certain combinations. This bean is smaller in shape, round and yellowish brown.

Coffee crops need special natural environments to thrive and harvest well:

Suitable climate: hot and humid or sub-hot climate areas, between the north and south tropics, rainy, temperatures between 15 and 25℃.

The soil should have a deep, hard, permeable subsoil conducive to irrigation and drainage. The best land is on a hilly hillside, broken down into rocks from volcanic rocks or freshly cultivated forests. The ideal altitude is between 600 and 1200 meters, although some varieties are suitable for 2000-2200 meters, others are suitable for less than 400 meters, or even on flat ground.

Carefully cultivated with the aim of protecting the tree species at each stage of growth, therefore:

Select seeds from robust, productive and long-lived species

Seeds are first planted in sheltered, dark nurseries, and after about six months, seedlings are transplanted to plantations during the rainy season, along with the soil surrounding the roots.

Depending on the region (tropical or subtropical) in which it is grown, coffee trees are protected from high winds and excessive sunlight by other trees. Nurtured and protected in this way, trees will begin to bear fruit when they are three or four years old.