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Fruit Partial Shade OK Regular water

Coffee Plant

Written by the GrowByCity Editorial Team · Updated April 2026
2 min read

Tropical shrub producing coffee cherries. A warmth-loving plant that does best between 20°C and 28°C, coffee plant adapts well to tropical and subtropical conditions but cannot tolerate frost. Give it partial shade, though it appreciates some direct light and regular watering to keep soil consistently moist, and expect to harvest in roughly 1095-1460 days. Well worth the space it takes — a single productive plant can supply a household through the season.

Harvest 1095-1460 days
Temp Range 15°C — 32°C

Quick Answer: How to Grow Coffee Plant

Coffee Plant takes 1095-1460 days to harvest. It grows best in 20–28°C with partial shade ok and regular watering. Coffee Plant is not frost tolerant — wait until after the last frost to plant. It can be grown in 350 cities worldwide.

Find the best time to plant Coffee Plant in your city →

Growing Requirements

☀️
Sun
Partial Shade OK
💧
Water
Regular
❄️
Frost
Sensitive
📅
Harvest
1095-1460 days

Temperature Range

20-28°C
-10°C 45°C
Optimal: 20–28°C Tolerates: 15–32°C
Tropical suitable: Yes
Cities growing: 350 of 350

Growing Tips

💡

Expert Tips

Needs consistent warmth and humidity. Grows well indoors near bright window. Wait until soil warms to at least 20°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Quick Facts

  • Grows in 350 of 350 cities
  • Available in 7 regions worldwide
  • Temperature range: 15°C to 32°C
  • Optimal growing: 20°C to 28°C
  • Harvest in 1095-1460 days

Did You Know?

  • 🌱 Coffee Plant loves the heat! It thrives in tropical and subtropical climates year-round.

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

Coffee (Coffea arabica) is a tropical understory shrub requiring stable warm temperatures (60–80°F year-round), high humidity, and bright indirect light. It will not tolerate frost. Grow in well-drained, acidic soil with a pH of 5.5–6.5, rich in organic matter. In containers (12–18 inch pot minimum for fruit production), use a mix of peat or coir, perlite, and compost. Provide bright filtered light — an east or south window with a sheer curtain is ideal. Water consistently, keeping soil evenly moist but not waterlogged; allow the top inch to dry between waterings. Water with rainwater or filtered water if possible, as coffee is sensitive to fluoride and chlorine. Fertilize monthly during the growing season with an acid-forming fertilizer (formulated for azaleas or blueberries). Coffee plants begin flowering and fruiting at 3–5 years — the fragrant white jasmine-like flowers are self-fertile. Cherry-red fruits take 6–8 months to ripen after flowering.

Common Pests & Problems

Coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix) is the most devastating coffee disease globally — orange powdery pustules on leaf undersides cause defoliation; treat with copper-based fungicide and remove infected leaves. This is primarily a field problem; indoor plants are rarely affected. Root rot from overwatering kills coffee plants quickly — never allow pots to stand in water and ensure excellent drainage. Scale insects (particularly soft brown scale) appear on stems and leaf undersides — treat with horticultural oil or neem oil. Spider mites are a common problem on indoor plants in dry winter conditions — maintain high humidity (60%+) and treat with neem oil. Mealybugs appear in leaf axils — treat with isopropyl alcohol swabs followed by neem oil.

Harvest & Storage

Coffee cherries are ready to harvest when fully deep red (or yellow in some varieties). Selective hand picking of individual ripe cherries produces the highest quality. After harvest, remove the fruity pulp using a pulper or by fermentation (let cherries soak in water for 24–36 hours until the mucilage ferments and can be washed off). Dry the parchment-covered beans on raised screens in the sun for 2–6 weeks, turning daily, until moisture drops to 11%. Remove parchment (hull) and dry further. Green beans can be stored in burlap sacks for up to a year. Roast at home in a popcorn popper or dedicated roaster to desired level before grinding.

Popular Varieties

Coffea arabica is the species responsible for all specialty and premium coffee — it accounts for 60% of world production. 'Typica' is the original arabica variety brought from Ethiopia, with excellent cup quality and large beans but low disease resistance. 'Bourbon' is a classic Reunion Island selection with exceptional sweetness and complexity — highly prized by specialty roasters but susceptible to leaf rust. 'Geisha' (or 'Gesha') is a wildly celebrated Ethiopian accession with jasmine and bergamot aromatics that has commanded record auction prices. Coffea canephora (Robusta) is a different species — higher caffeine, more disease-resistant, but widely considered inferior in cup quality.

Where to Grow Coffee Plant

Coffee Plant can be grown in 350 cities across 7 regions worldwide

🌍 Europe (80 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aarhus, DK medium
Amsterdam, NL medium
Ankara, TR medium
Antalya, TR medium
Athens, GR medium
Barcelona, ES medium
Bari, IT medium
Belgrade, RS medium
Bergen, NO medium
Berlin, DE medium
Bilbao, ES medium
Bologna, IT medium
Bordeaux, FR medium
Bratislava, SK medium
Brussels, BE medium
Bucharest, RO medium
Budapest, HU medium
Catania, IT medium
Cologne, DE medium
Copenhagen, DK medium
Corfu, GR medium
Cork, IE medium
Dublin, IE medium
Dubrovnik, HR medium
Edinburgh, GB medium
Florence, IT medium
Frankfurt, DE medium
Gdansk, PL medium
Genoa, IT medium
Glasgow, GB medium
Gothenburg, SE medium
Hamburg, DE medium
Helsinki, FI medium
Heraklion, GR medium
Istanbul, TR medium
Izmir, TR medium
Krakow, PL medium
Kyiv, UA medium
Limassol, CY medium
Lisbon, PT medium
Ljubljana, SI medium
London, GB medium
Lyon, FR medium
Madrid, ES medium
Malaga, ES medium
Marseille, FR medium
Milan, IT medium
Munich, DE medium
Naples, IT medium
Nice, FR medium
Nicosia, CY medium
Oslo, NO medium
Palermo, IT medium
Paris, FR medium
Porto, PT medium
Poznan, PL medium
Prague, CZ medium
Reykjavik, IS medium
Riga, LV medium
Rome, IT medium
Seville, ES medium
Sofia, BG medium
Split, HR medium
Stockholm, SE medium
Strasbourg, FR medium
Stuttgart, DE medium
Tallinn, EE medium
Thessaloniki, GR medium
Tirana, AL medium
Toulouse, FR medium
Turin, IT medium
Turku, FI medium
Valencia, ES medium
Valletta, MT medium
Verona, IT medium
Vienna, AT medium
Vilnius, LT medium
Warsaw, PL medium
Zagreb, HR medium
Zurich, CH medium

🌏 Asia (79 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ahmedabad, IN medium
Almaty, KZ medium
Bali, ID medium
Bandung, ID medium
Bangalore, IN medium
Bangkok, TH medium
Beijing, CN medium
Busan, KR medium
Cebu, PH medium
Chandigarh, IN medium
Chengdu, CN medium
Chennai, IN medium
Chiang Mai, TH medium
Chittagong, BD medium
Chongqing, CN medium
Coimbatore, IN medium
Colombo, LK medium
Da Nang, VN medium
Dalian, CN medium
Davao, PH medium
Delhi, IN medium
Dhaka, BD medium
Dharan, NP medium
Fukuoka, JP medium
Galle, LK medium
Guangzhou, CN medium
Hangzhou, CN medium
Hanoi, VN medium
Harbin, CN medium
Ho Chi Minh City, VN medium
Hong Kong, HK medium
Hyderabad, IN medium
Incheon, KR medium
Indore, IN medium
Islamabad, PK medium
Jaipur, IN medium
Jakarta, ID medium
Jeju, KR medium
Johor Bahru, MY medium
Karachi, PK medium
Kathmandu, NP medium
Kochi, IN medium
Kolkata, IN medium
Kuala Lumpur, MY medium
Kunming, CN medium
Kyoto, JP medium
Lahore, PK medium
Lucknow, IN medium
Manila, PH medium
Mumbai, IN medium
Nagoya, JP medium
Nanjing, CN medium
Nha Trang, VN medium
Okinawa, JP medium
Osaka, JP medium
Pattaya, TH medium
Penang, MY medium
Phnom Penh, KH medium
Pune, IN medium
Sapporo, JP medium
Seoul, KR medium
Shanghai, CN medium
Shenzhen, CN medium
Siem Reap, KH medium
Singapore, SG medium
Surabaya, ID medium
Surat, IN medium
Taipei, TW medium
Tashkent, UZ medium
Tbilisi, GE medium
Tokyo, JP medium
Ulaanbaatar, MN medium
Varanasi, IN medium
Vientiane, LA medium
Visakhapatnam, IN medium
Wuhan, CN medium
Xi'an, CN medium
Xiamen, CN medium
Yangon, MM medium

🌎 North America (78 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Albuquerque, US medium
Anchorage, US medium
Atlanta, US medium
Austin, US medium
Baltimore, US medium
Baton Rouge, US medium
Boise, US medium
Boston, US medium
Bridgetown, BB medium
Buffalo, US medium
Calgary, CA medium
Cancun, MX medium
Charleston, US medium
Charlotte, US medium
Chattanooga, US medium
Chicago, US medium
Denver, US medium
Des Moines, US medium
Detroit, US medium
Edmonton, CA medium
El Paso, US medium
Fargo, US medium
Fresno, US medium
Guadalajara, MX medium
Halifax, CA medium
Hartford, US medium
Havana, CU medium
Honolulu, US medium
Houston, US medium
Jacksonville, US medium
Kansas City, US medium
Kingston, JM medium
Knoxville, US medium
Las Vegas, US medium
Little Rock, US medium
Los Angeles, US medium
Louisville, US medium
Lubbock, US medium
Madison, US medium
Memphis, US medium
Mexico City, MX medium
Miami, US medium
Milwaukee, US medium
Minneapolis, US medium
Monterrey, MX medium
Montreal, CA medium
Nashville, US medium
New Orleans, US medium
New York, US medium
Oaxaca, MX medium
Oklahoma City, US medium
Omaha, US medium
Ottawa, CA medium
Panama City, PA medium
Phoenix, US medium
Pittsburgh, US medium
Portland, US medium
Puebla, MX medium
Quebec City, CA medium
Raleigh, US medium
Richmond, US medium
Sacramento, US medium
Salt Lake City, US medium
San Diego, US medium
San Francisco, US medium
San Jose, CR medium
Santo Domingo, DO medium
Saskatoon, CA medium
Savannah, US medium
Seattle, US medium
Spokane, US medium
St. Louis, US medium
Tampa, US medium
Toronto, CA medium
Tucson, US medium
Vancouver, CA medium
Victoria, CA medium
Winnipeg, CA medium

🌍 Africa (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abidjan, CI medium
Accra, GH medium
Addis Ababa, ET medium
Algiers, DZ medium
Antananarivo, MG medium
Arusha, TZ medium
Bamako, ML medium
Bloemfontein, ZA medium
Cairo, EG medium
Cape Town, ZA medium
Casablanca, MA medium
Dakar, SN medium
Dar es Salaam, TZ medium
Douala, CM medium
Durban, ZA medium
Entebbe, UG medium
Fez, MA medium
Freetown, SL medium
Harare, ZW medium
Johannesburg, ZA medium
Kampala, UG medium
Kigali, RW medium
Kinshasa, CD medium
Lagos, NG medium
Libreville, GA medium
Lilongwe, MW medium
Lome, TG medium
Luanda, AO medium
Lusaka, ZM medium
Maputo, MZ medium
Marrakech, MA medium
Mombasa, KE medium
Nairobi, KE medium
Ouagadougou, BF medium
Port Louis, MU medium
Pretoria, ZA medium
Tunis, TN medium
Windhoek, NA medium
Zanzibar, TZ medium

🌎 South America (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arequipa, PE medium
Asuncion, PY medium
Barranquilla, CO medium
Belem, BR medium
Bogota, CO medium
Brasilia, BR medium
Buenos Aires, AR medium
Cali, CO medium
Campinas, BR medium
Caracas, VE medium
Cartagena, CO medium
Concepcion, CL medium
Cordoba, AR medium
Curitiba, BR medium
Cusco, PE medium
Fortaleza, BR medium
Georgetown, GY medium
Goiania, BR medium
Guayaquil, EC medium
La Paz, BO medium
Lima, PE medium
Manaus, BR medium
Medellin, CO medium
Mendoza, AR medium
Montevideo, UY medium
Paramaribo, SR medium
Port of Spain, TT medium
Porto Alegre, BR medium
Quito, EC medium
Recife, BR medium
Rio de Janeiro, BR medium
Rosario, AR medium
Salvador, BR medium
Santa Cruz, BO medium
Santiago, CL medium
Sao Paulo, BR medium
Sucre, BO medium
Trujillo, PE medium
Valparaiso, CL medium

🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Adelaide, AU medium
Alice Springs, AU medium
Auckland, NZ medium
Brisbane, AU medium
Cairns, AU medium
Canberra, AU medium
Christchurch, NZ medium
Darwin, AU medium
Dunedin, NZ medium
Gold Coast, AU medium
Hamilton, NZ medium
Hobart, AU medium
Melbourne, AU medium
Noumea, NC medium
Perth, AU medium
Suva, FJ medium
Sydney, AU medium
Townsville, AU medium
Wellington, NZ medium

🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abu Dhabi, AE medium
Amman, JO medium
Baghdad, IQ medium
Beirut, LB medium
Doha, QA medium
Dubai, AE medium
Erbil, IQ medium
Jeddah, SA medium
Kuwait City, KW medium
Manama, BH medium
Muscat, OM medium
Riyadh, SA medium
Sana'a, YE medium
Tabriz, IR medium
Tehran, IR medium
Tel Aviv, IL medium

When should I plant coffee plant in my city?

The best time to plant coffee plant depends on your local climate zone. It thrives in temperatures between 20°C and 28°C. Wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact dates.

Can I grow coffee plant in winter?

Coffee Plant is not frost tolerant and cannot survive winter outdoors in most temperate climates. In tropical areas (USDA Zones 10+), it may grow year-round.

Get Coffee Plant Seeds & Plants

Ready to start growing? Find Coffee Plant seeds and starter plants online.

People Also Search For

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Similar Growing Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions about Coffee Plant

When should I plant coffee plant?

The best time to plant coffee plant depends on your local climate. Coffee Plant grows best in temperatures between 20°C and 28°C (can tolerate 15°C to 32°C). Coffee Plant is not frost tolerant, so wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact planting months.

Can coffee plant grow in tropical climates?

Yes! Coffee Plant can grow in tropical climates. It's successfully grown in tropical cities like Abidjan, Abu Dhabi, Accra. Coffee Plant requires partial shade ok and regular watering.

How long does coffee plant take to grow?

Coffee Plant typically takes 1095-1460 days from planting to harvest. It requires partial shade ok and regular watering. Needs consistent warmth and humidity. Grows well indoors near bright window. Wait until soil warms to at least 20°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Find the Best Time to Plant Coffee Plant

See the planting calendar for Coffee Plant in these popular cities:

Last updated: March 2026 · Climate data from NOAA, FAO, USDA

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