Your Guide To: Coffee Plant

A coffee plant needs near-perfect tropical conditions in order to produce fragrant bloom indoors, but fear not: This small tree sports glossy green leaves that will perk up your space right alongside your morning brew. So don't worry about turning your home into a greenhouse, with the right TLC you'll still get a ton of energy from this striking plant.

Coffee is a laid-back floor plant that loves rich, moist soil, high humidity, and bright, indirect light. With regular watering and feeding, it can grow up to six feet tall. But it can easily be kept smaller with occasional prunings.

Coffee plants need bright, indirect light, so place yours near your sunniest window – but not directly in front of it. They do best when sitting a bit off to the side or a couple of feet away. You can even just hang a sheer curtain over the window to filter the sunlight. 

The soil in your coffee plant’s pot should always be kept moist—but never soggy. And be sure to dump out any water that collects in the pot’s saucer, or the plant’s roots may rot.  

Plant food is an important part of fostering healthy growth and new leaves as your plant settles into its new digs. Be sure to follow the directions on the package based on the size of your plant and time of year: A coffee plant needs to be fed more frequently in spring and summer and less so in fall and winter when its growth slows.

Coffee plants come from the tropics, and like the rest of us, they love the comforts of home. That means temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees, moist soil, and high humidity.  

If your home is dry, run a small humidifier nearby or set the plant on a tray filled with pebbles and water. As the water in the tray evaporates, it will create the perfect tropical microclimate for your plant. 

Coffee plants don’t necessarily need to be pruned, but left to their own devices, they can get six feet tall.  

If you want to keep yours smaller, cut individual stems back in early spring using sharp, clean pruners. Make your cuts just above the point where a leaf meets the stem. You can also prune more lightly just to shape the plant. Either way, your haircuts will encourage the plant to grow bushier.

• Brown leaves are usually due to too much sunlight. If your plant’s leaves look scorched, move it farther from the window.  

• Brown spots on leaves point to a fungal disease that takes hold when there isn’t enough air circulation around or between plant parts. Humidity is great for coffee plants, but they can get sick if moisture gets trapped between their leaves. Remove affected leaves and stems, and prune away some interior branches to allow air to flow better. 

• Yellow leaves are your plant’s way of telling you to ease up on the water. The soil should be kept consistently moist but never soggy. And remember to dump out any water that collects in the plant saucer (if you let the pot sit in a puddle, your plant could end up with root rot). 

• Wilting and curling leaves are signs you’re not watering your plant enough. Give that baby a drink, will ya? 

• Brown leaf tips and edges happen when the air is too dry. Run a small humidifier near the plant or place the pot on a tray filled with pebbles and water. 

If your Coffee plant doesn’t seem to feel at home in your space, we’re here to help! You can chat with a live Greendigs specialist 24/7 by clicking here. You can also shoot us an email at [email protected].