Why You Need Coffee As A Houseplant

A few months back, after making our way back to the gift shop from a tour, a young couple approached me and told me for the last 10 years they have grown coffee as a houseplant.

I’m not sure why, maybe because in Hawaii coffee grows outside, but I had never considered the possibility of growing coffee inside as a houseplant. I was fascinated and had to look deeper.

Now if you don’t have houseplants and you are wondering if you should get some (and I mean real live plants) the answer is absolutely, positively, yes!

Some of the benefits of having houseplants are, improved air quality (both in releasing oxygen and in filtering out pollutants), aesthetics, mood enhancement, regulating humidity, therapeutics (caring, cultivating, connecting), noise reduction, and for many, houseplants are known to aid in productivity as all of the factors above lead to a softer and less distracted environment.

Sure, there are concerns. Some complain about the additional time commitment involved with houseplants, some worry about killing their plants, not having enough space, care during travel, allergies, or kids and pets causing spills. What I will say is that the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks and if you are able, one of the major low-cost improvements to your home environment is adding a houseplant or two.

The next step is choosing your plants and this will be key based on your lifestyle. Here are 10 very popular houseplants in the United States. I’ve put a link from each name to pictures so you can get a visual of the plant.

10 Popular Houseplants in the United States

1. Snake Plant (Sansevieria) 
Tall, upright leaves with a striking green and yellow variegation.
Very low maintenance; tolerates low light and infrequent watering.
2. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) 
Heart-shaped leaves that come in various shades of green and variegated patterns.
Thrives in a range of lighting conditions and only needs watering when dry.
3. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum) 
Long, arching leaves with green and white stripes, producing “baby” plants.
Adaptable to various light conditions and easy to propagate.
4. Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spathiphyllum
Glossy green leaves and beautiful white flowers.
Prefers low to medium light and needs watering when the soil is dry.
5. Aloe Vera 
Thick, fleshy leaves with a distinctive serrated edge, known for its medicinal properties.
Prefers bright, indirect light and requires infrequent watering.
6. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) 
Glossy, dark green leaves that grow on thick stems.
Extremely low maintenance; thrives in low light and can tolerate drought.
7. Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata) 
Large, violin-shaped leaves that can grow quite tall.
Prefers bright, indirect light and consistent moisture; can be a bit finicky.
8. Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica) 
Thick, shiny leaves that can vary from dark green to burgundy.
Prefers bright light and moderate watering; can tolerate some neglect.
9. Philodendron 
Heart-shaped leaves with a vining growth habit, available in various varieties.
Thrives in low to bright indirect light and only needs watering when dry.
10. Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aglaonema
Attractive leaves with a mix of green and silver patterns.
Very forgiving; does well in low light and is drought-tolerant.

Most of these plants above are easy to grow, require minimal maintenance, and can live for many years. There are though, dozens of rare and exotic houseplants that may require more attention and based on your skill level will need to do some due diligence.

That brings us to coffee.

Coffee is a beautiful tree with dark, green shiny leaves and an upright profile. It may produce flowers. Coffee is in the family rubiaceae so it is related to the gardenia and the small white flowers have a delicate and inviting scent. It may produce fruits. How awesome would it be to see coffee grow right in your living room?

 
The best part of all is that you can start it from a seed and watch it grow to maturity in a few years. Once it is established, it will live for 10-30 years. You can trim it back, shape it, and generally set it to fit perfectly in your desired space.

Coffee’s native environment is tropical highlands, mild climate, well-drained acidic soil, and lots of light. Can you mimic something like that for a houseplant?

Considerations

You will want your tree to be near a window where it can get plenty of light. If you’d like to move it outside on a sunny day from time to time it may love you more. Light is key. Coffee likes morning sun and afternoon shade and rather than putting it in direct light, just to the side may suit it better. Watch your plants and see how they react.

Well-drained, slightly acidic, peat-based soil with a lot of organic matter will keep your plant happy. From time to time, you will need to add fertilizer, either pellets or liquid. If you compost your kitchen scraps at home, a few cups of compost mixed into the pot every couple of months makes for a happy tree.

Coffee lives in very mild climates, typically 60-90 degrees Fahrenheit. If you can maintain 65-80F your trees will thrive. Coffee prefers a slightly humid environment and if the air is too dry the edges of the leaves may brown. Humidifiers may help.

As your trees sprout, you will want to prune them to get the desired look. YouTube videos are helpful. Pruning in the Spring is ideal.

Watering coffee is the only step that requires a bit of care. Coffee likes water but doesn’t like its roots to soak in mud. Keeping the soil moist without over-watering is ideal. You may need to water 3-4 times a week. You’ll never want your soil to go completely dry.

Seeds of Hope

You can grow coffee from cuttings but if you are not in Hawaii, they will be hard to find. Search online for Coffee Seeds, and look for “Arabica” trees.

Soak your seeds for a couple of days and the pot. I have great success with sprouting seeds directly in very light, organic dirt in small pots. Keep the pots in a warm and soft light environment. Coffee sprouts put their roots down first and then raise the seed like a bean sprout. The leaves will butterfly out of the dried seed husk. So generally, plant your seeds long side up, just into the soil and not deep. (No more than a quarter inch)

Keep the soil moist daily without over-watering and wait patiently for 5-8 weeks. Once the seeds germinate, allow them to get to about 6-8 inches before you transplant into larger pots. Keep in mind that coffee trees form a long tap root and a root ball. If your pot is too small your tree will feel restrained. Always make sure your pot is large enough to meet the needs of the tree.

Indoor coffee plants may take a few years to flower (3-5) and if you want fruit to form, it is a good idea to shake your flowered branches gently. Coffee is a self-pollinator but indoors, where there is no wind, it can be difficult. A light, manual shaking should allow the flower to pollinate and fruit will follow.

You probably won’t get enough fruit to make coffee, but you should pick the fruits as they turn bright, cranberry red. (Then regrow more plants and give to those you love!)

That’s it. A simple, attractive, and fast-growing houseplant that you will come to love! Telling your friends you are growing coffee is an added plus.

Further Study

If this conversation has piqued your interest in coffee as a houseplant, here are some great video overviews:

Tanner the Planter
Green Garden Guy 
Good & Planty

I wish you success and let me know how it goes!

Matt Carter

Matt Carter is a retired teacher (1989-2018), part-time musician, farmer, and currently manages Greenwell Farm’s Tour and Retail Store Operations.