How to Care for a Coffee Plant

The coffee plant, cultivated on farms for its beans, is also commonly grown as a houseplant for its dark green, glossy foliage. Although it is not practical to grow indoors solely for coffee, the plant does flower and produce enough beans for a pot or two of coffee after three or four years.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Give a coffee plant the medium light of a somewhat shady window. A little direct sun is fine, but take care not to allow more than an hour per day of direct sun.

2. Place the plant in a location which does not get below 65 degrees F. While the plant will not tolerate cool conditions, it does adapt to most home environments above 65 degrees F.

3. Mist the coffee plant leaves several times a week to increase the humidity. Humidity is crucial to coffee plants. The leaves will brown starting at the tips if the plant is not getting enough humidity. A tray of pebbles under the pot does help increase humidity around the plant.

4. Keep the potting mix thoroughly moist in spring, summer and fall. Let the potting mix dry out partially in winter. Take care to notice if the plant wilts. If wilting does occur, watering immediately will likely save the delicate leaves, but be careful not to let the plant wilt for more than one day.

5. Repot the coffee plant every spring in the next size bigger pot. Coffee plants grow rapidly and outgrow their pot each year.

6. Care for the coffee plant's health by watching for scale insects, which commonly infest the plant. They appear as small yellow or brown spots under the leaves. Wipe them off with slightly soapy water and apply a pesticide to the plant.