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The Coffee Tree
Everyone recognizes a roasted
coffee bean but unless you have lived or traveled in a
coffee growing country, you might not recognize an actual
coffee tree. Pruned short in cultivation, but capable of
growing more than 30 feet high, a coffee tree is covered
with dark-green, waxy leaves growing opposite each other in
pairs. Coffee cherries grow along the tree's branches. It
takes nearly a year for a cherry to mature after the
flowering of the fragrant, white blossoms. Because it grows
in a continuous cycle, it is not unusual to see flowers,
green fruit and ripe fruit simultaneously on a single tree.
The trees can live as long as 20 - 30 years and are capable
of growing in a wide range of climates, as long as there is
no harsh fluctuation in temperature. Optimally, they prefer
a rich soil and mild temperatures, with frequent rain and
shaded sun. |
