A coffee tree

The coffee tree is native to Ethiopia. At first, the plant spread over different territories, and then it found itself in European countries, and it began to be cultivated quite successfully at home. The genus Coffee includes about forty varieties, belongs to the Madder family. The most valuable varieties of the Coffee Tree: Congolese, Tall, Liberian, Arabian Coffee.

Coffee tree: plant description

Coffee tree: plant photo

Large juicy leaves of a pale green coffee tree. When a coffee tree blooms, an umbrella-shaped inflorescence appears on it, it contains about 76 flowers that have small peduncles. The color of the flowers is white, their formation occurs on young annual shoots. The fruit includes two round seeds, first colored yellow, later the color changes to green. After the fruits are ripe, their color changes to red. The ripe fruit is covered with a crust on top, under which there is a sweet, slightly sour inner content and two seeds, reaching a length of about 1.3 cm.

A coffee tree that grows at home is able to purify the air of harmful elements. Also, the coffee tree fills the human body with energy, tidies up the nerves and relieves stress.

Coffee tree: planting and care at home

Coffee tree: home care video

The coffee tree, which is grown in indoor conditions, must be protected from sudden changes in temperature conditions and from drafts. If the plant is properly cared for, then the flowering will be lush, and the tree will also delight you with a generous harvest.

Illumination level.

The coffee tree needs a lot of light to be bright and diffused. The tree grows best near the southern window. In spring and summer, when it is warm, coffee is transferred to a terrace, balcony or loggia, and in winter the room where the container with the plant is located must be regularly ventilated. It is required to put the coffee further from the heating means, otherwise the tips of its leaves will begin to dry. In very poor lighting conditions, the tree must be provided with additional light sources, for example, it can be fluorescent lamps.

Temperature.

In the summer, the temperature conditions in the room should not exceed 25 degrees, and in the winter season, they should be above 15 degrees. If there are elevated or lowered temperature conditions in the room, then all the buds and leaves of the tree may fly around.

Air humidity level.

All year round, the leaves of the Coffee Tree are regularly sprayed with clean water. In the summer, the tree can be periodically sprinkled with warm water. Due to this procedure, intensive growth of the bush and its lush flowering will be observed. It is worth making sure that the room is constantly humidified.

Watering.

In warm seasons, the bush is watered regularly immediately after the surface soil layer dries out to a depth of 10 mm. In the winter season, the nutrient substrate in the container is moistened once a week. For this purpose, settled non-hard water that does not contain lime is used. With the wrong water, the plant can overtake the disease.

Fertilization.

During the entire growing season and during the flowering stage, regular fertilizing is applied 2 times every 30 days.Fertilized with nitrogen-containing and potassium complexes. Can be fed with specialized azalea mixes. In autumn and winter, no fertilizing is applied.

Plant transplant.

Young bushes under three years old need to be transplanted regularly, transplanting is carried out every year. Select a deep coffee container. After transplanting, the plant is briefly placed in a semi-shaded place, it is provided with systematic spraying. Do not forget that a good drainage system is laid at the bottom of the tank.

Soil mix.

The potting mix should be loose and acidic. The soil mixture should contain coarse sand, charcoal (grind before adding), peat and humus (ingredients are taken in equal proportions).

Circumcision.

Circumcision is performed in any season, if required. All dried or diseased shoots and leaves are cut off. Formative pruning is also carried out, the branches that are elongated are shortened, the crown is given the desired appearance.

Coffee tree: reproduction at home

Reproduction is carried out by cuttings and seeds.

Seed method.

To cultivate a new coffee tree is within the power of every grower, it is important to do everything correctly. Sowing seeds is carried out in a container filled with perlite or coarse sand. The seeds must be prepared before sowing, the peel is removed from them, the grains are immersed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then they begin to sow seeds, they are buried in the soil by 20 mm. Plantings should be regularly moistened by spraying.

The first plants will appear in a month. After their growth and the formation of the first pair of true leaves, the trees are transplanted into separate containers of small volumes.

Cuttings.

First, the cuttings are prepared. For this purpose, the stems are cut, the cuttings should be about 80 mm long, each of them should have 2 buds. Cuttings are rooted in a container filled with a loose soil mixture, which includes sod and leafy soil, sand (in equal proportions). The cuttings are carefully planted in the prepared substrate, the containers are placed in heat (temperature about 27 degrees). The container is covered with polyethylene on top. Make sure that the soil does not dry out; in order to avoid this, it must be regularly sprayed, and the cuttings must be systematically ventilated. During the emergence of roots in cuttings and the beginning of their growth, plants are transplanted into separate containers, which are filled with a nutrient substrate for adult vegetation.

Growing difficulties

Coffee tree: plant photo

With a plant that is grown at home, difficulties arise in frequent cases when illiterate care is taken for it or under inappropriate cultivation conditions. Frequently encountered difficulties are presented below.

• The leaves dry up. Drying foliage means that the room has a very low humidity. To fix the problem, the tree requires more frequent watering and it is worth increasing the application of watering.
• Pests. The most dangerous insects for the coffee tree: scale insects, sooty fungus, mealybug. The bush can be covered with a thin cobweb and a bloom of white color. It is necessary to cut off all infected leaves, then rinse the plant with a soap solution.
• Yellowing and fading of leaves. This problem occurs when the potting mix is ​​not acidic enough.
• The formation of brown spots on the leaves, their further flying around. There is not enough water for the tree. It is necessary to increase the volume and number of waterings.
• Foliage necrosis. The development of the disease occurs due to poor illumination, very low humidity or due to a lack of potassium and phosphorus. Also, the development of necrosis may be due to sudden changes in temperature conditions. With a lack of phosphorus, the tree develops slowly, the leaves begin to turn yellow and fly around.

Types of coffee tree

Arabian coffee tree.

The variety is popular with flower growers. It is a compact tree. The leaves are oblong, in the shape of an ellipse, the bare upper surface is painted in a dark olive color, and the inner - in a paler color. The inflorescences are small, collected in a bouquet, in cross-section, they are about 20 mm in size. The size of the inflorescences depends on the cultivation conditions. After blooming a flower, its wilting begins in a few hours. The buds do not open at the same time. After the end of flowering, fruits are formed in the form of berries, after they ripen, they become burgundy. After pollination of the flower, the fruit ripens after eight months. Paired berries resemble rounded beans in appearance. The tree grows to a height of about 5 meters.

Arabian coffee tree: plant photo

Nana dwarf coffee tree.

The tree reaches a height of about 85 cm. The plant is compact. At home, there is a lush flowering and a high yield. To give the desired look, experienced growers regularly pinch the tops of the stems and cut the plant.

Liberian coffee tree.

This type of coffee tree grows well at home. After the fruits are ripe, they become sunny orange or scarlet in color. The length of the leaves is approximately 40 cm. The growth of the tree can be adjusted by pruning, and by pruning, you can also form the desired crown shape. The inflorescences contain light-colored flowers, in their place the formation of large fruits, similar to berries, occurs.

Liberian coffee tree: plant photo