Coffee plants make a unique houseplant or plant for the greenhouse. They are a shrubby evergreen plant that flowers with a white, fragrant delicate bloom. Following the flowers, small fruit called cherries are produced. The fruit ripen and eventually will turn deep red in color and are ready for harvesting. The fresh, green beans can be roasted or used to produce more plants.

Coffee beans can be started at any time and grown indoors as a houseplant.

Coffee plants need a bright sunny position in the home or a greenhouse setting. The home temperature needs to be a consistent 60 - 80F degrees. If living in a subtropical or tropical location, the plant can be grown outdoors in a shaded area like a covered patio.

• Soak the Coffee bean in water 24 hours
• It is recommended to use vermiculite for germination
• Place 1 bean into the vermiculite, covering about 1/2 inch with vermiculite
• Twice daily, with a spray bottle, mist down the pot and drain off any excess water
• The bean must stay moist but not soggy
• This germination process can take 2 - 6 months depending on the age of the bean
• One the bean has sprouted, gently remove it from the vermiculite
• Have a larger pot prepared for growing that is filled with rich, loamy soil
• Prepare a hole that is 1/2 inch deep and place the sprouted seed flat side down
• Loosely cover the seed with soil
• Continue to water once a day - the seed needs to be moist but not saturated
• Over a period of 3 - 4 months, a stalk will form
• After another month the first leaves will develop
• Once there are leaves and the seedling is 3 - 4 inches, it can be transplanted into a large pot for continued growing

• Coffee plants can take 3 - 4 years to flower
• The first year of flowering may not produce fruit - the cherry where the bean is extracted
• Once cherries are produced allow them to ripen to a deep red - this ripening may take months
• Pick the ripe cherry and extract the green bean
• Roast the beans for coffee or use the beans to produce more plants
• Maintain the plant with needed pruning
• Use an organic fertilizer or mulch yearly for continued nutrients