An Overview of Coffee
Coffee comes from the Latin form on the
genus Coffea, a member of the Rubiaceae family which includes over
6,000 species of tropical trees and shrubs, including Gardenias. The
species of coffea range from small shrubs to trees as tall as 32 feet
high.
Coffee is a tropical plant which grows between the Tropic
of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Coffee requires specific climate
for cultivation; temperature, rainfall, sunlight, wind and soils are
all important. Coffee's worst enemy is frost. Frost will severely
damage the trees ability to produce flowers which are the beginning of
the coffee development cycle. Plantation altitude,and wind and rainfall
conditions will affect the occurrence of frost. The highest danger of
frost is in the southern growing regions of Brazil. Two devastating
frost in the mid 1990s caused such damage that the price of coffee
nearly tripled.
When a coffee tree has reached maturity, it will
begin to bear fruit in small clusters along it's branches. Clusters of
5 - 12 small white flowers, with a jasmine like fragrance, blossom,
these flowers form into the coffee cherries which initially is green in
color and turns red when it is ripe and ready for harvesting. The
five-petal flowers fade quickly after blooming and the coffee cherry
begins to form. Cherries are oval shaped, typically with two beans side
by side with their flat sides together, in the center. When only one
bean forms in the cherry it is called a Peaberry.
Two types of coffee are grown commercially, Arabica and Robusta.
Arabica Coffee
Arabica
coffee makes up nearly 70% of the world's coffee production. There are
several varieties of Arabica coffee; Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, Mundo
Novo, Tico, and several others. Maragojipie is an extremely large
forming bean, also know as Elephant Beans, they originated in
Maragojipie county in the Bahia region of Brazil. It is now grown in
Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Zaire.
An
Arabica tree is an evergreen bush, with dark green, oval leaves, that
can grow up to 20 feet high. on plantations, plants are kept to nine
feet for purposes of harvesting and increased nourishment of cherries.
An arabica plant will bear fruit for around 50 years, although after 30
years the yield drops. Arabica trees flourish in temperature of 60 - 75
degrees, in areas receiving annual rainfall of 60 inches.
Robusta Coffee
Robusta
coffee trees can grow to 32 feet high, they produce a smaller, round
bean. Robusta was first discovered growing in Congo in 1898. Robusta
trees produce their first crop after on 3 years and continue for 20 to
30 years. Robusta flourishes in temperature of 75 - 80 degrees with
annual rainfall amounts of 60 inches or more.
Robusta tends to
be a hardier, more disease resistant plant than Arabica. It is less
expensive to maintain and yields more coffee annually. While Robusta
prospers in lowlands such as rain forest, Arabica grows best at high
altitudes, from 2,000 feet to 6,000 feet above sea level.
In
comparison, Robusta coffee has higher acidity with a harsh flavor.
Arabica has a lower acidity than Robusta, and due to its high altitude
growing conditions, the beans develop slower producing a smoother, more
flavorful taste.
Arabica Robusta
Date Named: 1753 1895
Flowering: After Rain Irregularly
Caffeine Content: average 1.2% average 2.0%
Bean Shape: Oval Round
% of World Production: 70% 30%