Coffee Plant care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Coffee Plant (Coffea arabica) wants bright, indirect light and a drink about every 5 days once established. It is toxic to pets — worth keeping out of reach.
| scientific name | Coffea arabica |
|---|---|
| family | Rubiaceae |
| category | houseplant |
| plant type | perennial |
| light | bright, indirect light |
| water cadence days | 5 |
| mature height cm | 180 |
| frost tolerant | false |
| toxic to pets | true |
| toxic to humans | false |
| edible | false |
How often should I water Coffee Plant?
Evenly moist, acidic mix; humidity keeps leaf edges green.
Is Coffee Plant toxic?
Caffeine in leaves and beans; fruit pulp is the exception.
Who eats it
Palatable to people: no.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is low. Its moisture use is high. Its drought tolerance is medium. It wants at least about 60 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 100 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 4.0. It tolerates soil up to pH 7.5. Its fertility requirement is high. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: yes. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: no. Its tolerance of waterlogging is low. It needs at least 365 frost-free days. Its salt tolerance is low. Its tolerance of chalky soil is medium. Fire resistant: no. It has been recorded down to 17°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: no.
How it grows
It grows as a multiple stem form. Its growth rate is moderate. Its lifespan is moderate. It puts on most of its growth in year round. It resprouts after damage: yes. Coppices: no. Its tolerance of hedging is high. At maturity it reaches about 15.0 feet. Its roots go down at least 40 inches. Its shape is rounded. It holds its leaves through winter: yes.
What it looks like
It blooms in spring. The flowers are white. Conspicuous in flower: yes. The foliage is green. The foliage texture is medium. In summer the canopy is dense in porosity. In winter it is dense in porosity. Fall colour: yes. The fruit or seed is red. Fruit begins in spring. Fruit finishes by fall. It fruits high. The fruit persists on the plant: no. The fruit is conspicuous: yes.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: yes. Propagated by cuttings: no. Propagated by container: yes. Propagated by bare root: no. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: no. Seedling vigour is medium. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: Drafted from US Cooperative Extension horticulture guidance; pending HUMAN-05 review (issue 280) · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02