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{{Taxobox

{{SPlantbox

| color = lightgreen

|familia=Rubiaceae

| name = ''Arabica coffee''

|genus=Coffea

| image = Coffee1.jpg

|species=arabica

| image_width = 250px

|common_name=Coffee

| image_caption = ''Coffea arabica'' in fruit - [[Brazil]]

|habit=shrub

| regnum = [[Plant]]ae

|Min ht box=9

| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]

|Min ht metric=m

| classis = [[magnoliopsida]]

|Max ht box=12

| ordo = [[Gentianales]]

|Max ht metric=m

| familia = [[Rubiaceae]]

|height_ref=Wikipedia

| genus = ''[[Coffea]]''

|lifespan=perennial

| species = '''''C. arabica'''''

|exposure=sun, part-sun

| binomial = ''Coffea arabica''

|water=wet, moist, moderate

| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]

|features=flowers, fragrance, edible, foliage, houseplant

|Temp Metric=°F

|image=FruitColors.jpg

}}

}}

'''''Coffea arabica''''' is a species of [[coffee]] indigenous to [[Ethiopia]]. It is also known as the "coffee shrub of Arabia", "mountain coffee" or "arabica coffee". ''Coffea arabica'' is believed to be the first species of coffee to be cultivated, being grown in southwest [[Arabia]] for well over 1,000 years. It is considered to produce better coffee than the other major commercially grown coffee species, ''[[Coffea canephora (robusta)]]''. ''Arabica'' contains less [[caffeine]] than any other commercially cultivated species of coffee. Wild plants grow to between 7-12 m tall, and have an open branching system; the [[leaf|leaves]] are opposite, simple elliptic-ovate to oblong, 6-12 cm long and 4-8 cm broad, glossy dark green. The [[flower]]s are produced in axillary clusters, each flower white, and 1-1.5 cm diameter. The [[fruit]] is a [[berry]] 10-15 mm long, maturing bright red to purple, containing two [[seed]]s (the coffee 'bean').

'''''Coffea arabica''''' ({{IPAc-en|icon|ə|ˈ|r|æ|b|ɪ|k|ə}}) is a species of ''[[Coffea]]'' originally indigenous to the mountains of [[Yemen]] in the [[Arabian Peninsula]], hence its name, and also from the southwestern highlands of [[Ethiopia]] and southeastern [[Sudan]]. It is also known as the "coffee shrub of Arabia", "mountain coffee" or "arabica coffee". ''Coffea arabica'' is believed to be the first species of coffee to be cultivated, being grown in southwest [[Arabia]] for well over 1,000 years. It is said to produce better coffee than the other major commercially grown coffee species, ''[[Coffea canephora]] (robusta)'', but tastes vary. ''C. arabica'' contains less [[caffeine]] than any other commercially cultivated species of coffee. Wild plants grow to between 9 and 12 m tall, and have an open branching system; the [[leaf|leaves]] are opposite, simple elliptic-ovate to oblong, 6–12 cm long and 4–8 cm broad, glossy dark green. The [[flower]]s are white, 10–15 mm in diameter and grow in axillary clusters. The [[fruit]] is a [[drupe]] (though commonly called a "berry") 10–15 mm in diameter, maturing bright red to purple and typically contains two [[seed]]s (the coffee 'bean').

== Cultivation ==

==Cultivation==

[[Image:Coffee Flowers.JPG|thumb|left|''Coffea arabica'' flowers - [[Brazil]]]]

''C. arabica'' takes about seven years to mature fully, and does best with 1.0–1.5 meters (about 40–59 inches) of rain, evenly distributed throughout the year.{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}} It is usually cultivated between 1,300 and 1,500 m altitude, but there are plantations as low as sea level and as high as 2,800 m.{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}} The plant can tolerate low temperatures, but not frost, and it does best when the temperature hovers around {{convert|20|°C|°F}}.{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}} Commercial [[cultivar]]s mostly only grow to about 5 m, and are frequently trimmed as low as 2 m to facilitate harvesting. Unlike ''[[Coffea canephora]]'', ''C. arabica'' prefers to be grown in light shade.{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}}

[[Image:Unroasted coffee .jpg|thumb|250px|right|Unroasted coffee(''Coffea arabica'') beans - [[Brazil]]]]

''Coffea arabica'' takes about seven years to mature fully and does best with 1-1.5 meters (about 40-59 inches) of rain, evenly distributed throughout the year. It is usually cultivated between 1,300 and 1,500 m altitude, but there are plantations as low as sea level and as high as 2,800 m. The plant can tolerate low temperatures, but not frost, and it does best when the temperature hovers around 20°C (68°F). Commercial [[cultivar]]s mostly only grow to about 5 m, and are frequently trimmed as low as 2 m to facilitate harvesting. Unlike ''[[Coffea canephora (robusta)]]'', ''Coffea arabica'' prefers to be grown in light shade.

[[Image:Koeh-189.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Drawing of ''Coffea arabica'']]

[[File:Coffea arabica Blanco1.53.png|thumb|right|Drawing of ''Coffea arabica'']]

Three to four years after planting coffea arabica produces small, white and highly fragrant flowers. The sweet fragrance resembles the sweet smell of [[jasmine]] flowers. The flowers that open on sunny days produce the greatest numbers of berries. This can be a curse however as coffee plants tend to produce too many berries; this can lead to an inferior harvest and even damage yield in the following years as the plant will favor the ripening of berries to  

Two to four years after planting, ''C. arabica'' produces small, white and highly fragrant flowers. The sweet fragrance resembles the sweet smell of [[jasmine]] flowers. When flowers open on sunny days, this results in the greatest numbers of berries. This can be a curse, however, as coffee plants tend to produce too many berries; this can lead to an inferior harvest and even damage yield in the following years, as the plant will favour the ripening of berries to the detriment of its own health. On well kept plantations, this is prevented by pruning the tree. The flowers themselves only last a few days, leaving behind only the thick dark green leaves. The berries then begin to appear. These are as dark green as the foliage, until they begin to ripen, at first to yellow and then light red and finally darkening to a glossy deep red. At this point they are called 'cherries' and are ready for picking. The berries are oblong and about 1 cm long. Inferior coffee results from picking them too early or too late, so many are picked by hand to be able to better select them, as they do not all ripen at the same time. They are sometimes shaken off the tree onto mats, which means that ripe and unripe berries are collected together.

the detriment of its own health. On well kept planatations this is prevented by pruning the tree. The flowers themselves only last a few days leaving behind only the thick dark green leaves. The [[drupe]]s, or berries, then begin to appear. These are as dark green as the foliage, until they begin to ripen, at first to yellow and then light red and finally darkening to a glossy deep red. At this point they are called 'cherries' and are ready for picking. The berries are oblong and about 1 cm long. Inferior coffee results from picking them too early or too late, so many are picked by hand. But they are sometimes shaken off the tree onto mats.  

The trees are difficult to cultivate and each tree can produce anywhere from 0.5-5 kg of dried beans, depending on the tree's individual character and the climate that season. The berries themselves are edible. They are very sweet, with a texture somewhat like a grape. The real prize of this [[cash crop]] are the beans inside. Each berry holds two [[locule]]s containing the beans. The coffee beans are actually two seeds within the fruit, there is sometimes a third seed or one seed, a [[peaberry]] in the fruits at tips of the branches. These seeds are covered in two membranes, the outer one is called the 'parchment' and the inner one is called the 'silver skin'

The trees are difficult to cultivate and each tree can produce anywhere from 0.5–5.0 kg of dried beans, depending on the tree's individual character and the climate that season. The real prize of this [[cash crop]] are the beans inside. Each berry holds two [[locule]]s containing the beans. The coffee beans are actually two seeds within the fruit, there is sometimes a third seed or one seed, a [[peaberry]] in the fruits at tips of the branches. These seeds are covered in two membranes, the outer one is called the "parchment coat" and the inner one is called the "silver skin."

.

In perfect conditions, like those of [[Java (island)|Java]], trees are planted at all times of the year and are harvested year round. In less ideal conditions, like those in parts of [[Brazil]], the trees have a season and are harvested only in winter. Gourmet coffees are almost exclusively high-quality mild varieties of coffea arabica.

On [[Java (island)|Java Island]], trees are planted at all times of the year and are harvested year round. In parts of [[Brazil]], however, the trees have a season and are harvested only in winter. The plants are vulnerable to damage in poor growing conditions (cold, low pH soil) and are also more vulnerable to pests than the ''C. robusta'' plant.<ref>"Coffee: The World in Your Cup. Seattle, WA: Burke Museum at the University of Washington</ref> Gourmet coffees are almost exclusively high-quality mild varieties of arabica coffee, such as [[Colombian coffee]].

== History and legend ==

===Propagation===

== Literature ==

==Varieties==

[[Category:Rubiaceae]]

[[Category:Coffee]]

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