The Coffee Tree Story: A Sequel

More info on the subject of the coffee tree: The coffee tree is an evergreen with spear-shaped leaves, which are green and shiny on the upper side. As with all Rubiaceous plants, the leaves grow in pairs on either side of the stem and they are stipulated, which means the two organs responsible for nutrition are to be found at the base of the leaf stalk. It is interesting to note that the leaves of the Robusta tree are much larger than those of the Arabica tree.

The coffee tree grows on varied soil, including volcanic soil, siliceous clay, alluvial, peat and sand. The soil, however, must be deep, as the roots of the coffee tree extend one to two metres below the surface of the soil. Important growing factors include: Avoiding excessive cold and heat, exposure to 1200 to 1500 mm of rain per year, at least a few hours of sunlight per day, no strong winds and altitude -- the higher the better.

Coffee grows between 28 degrees North and 30 degrees South. Growing areas include Central America, the Caribbean region, Brazil, West Africa, East Africa, Yemen, Madagascar, India, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Botanists refer to the cherry (the fruit of the coffee tree) as the drupe. Green to begin with, the cherries ripen over several months, becoming yellow, then red, then garnet red, then finally almost black. The ideal time for harvesting is when the cherries are red. Inside the drupe, protected by the "mesocarp" or pulp, lie two small beans separated by a groove. These beans must be extracted and then roasted in order to make coffee.

The flowers of the coffee tree form little tufts made up of eight to 15 elements at the base of the leaves. They produce the same number of cherries. These flowers last only a few hours and wilt as soon as fertilization occurs; others quickly replace them, however. One tree can produce 30,000 flowers a year. It is also not uncommon to see leaves, flowers and berries on the coffee tree at the same time.