The species C. Arabica L., as well as its varieties, became widespread. This plant is highly valued, as from its fruits prepare tonic drinks. In some countries, coffee is an integral part of the economy. These evergreen decorative plants can be found both in the rooms of ordinary apartments, and in the collections of plants of botanical gardens.
At home, the harvest from one tree can reach up to 500 grams of grains. Of course, to compare the quality of these grains with the Brazilian is not worth it, but any owner of this indoor plant will be proud of the harvest he harvested. It must be borne in mind that the coffee tree likes brightly lit and quite warm rooms.
There is a legend that the tonic properties of coffee were discovered by Abyssinian shepherds. Their goats ate fruits and leaves of these trees, and they began to notice that animals after such feeding are awake at night.
Care of the plant.
House plants coffee tree like bright lighting, but do not tolerate direct sunlight, so they try to pritenyat. The optimal place for growing coffee will be near the window from the west-east side. On the northern side, the plant may lack the sunlight. And on the south side, the plant should be shaded from the sun.
It is recommended to illuminate the tree in the winter with lamps. In summer, it is good to take plants to fresh air (balcony, yard, garden), where it will be protected from precipitation, direct sun and drafts. If this is not possible, then the room with the plant should be ventilated.
To make the plant accustomed to a new level of illumination, the light is made diffused (with the help of gauze or a curtain of a curtain).
The optimum temperature for coffee in summer is 22-24 degrees, but should not be below 16. In winter, the temperature should be lowered to 16-18 degrees, the minimum limit is 14 degrees. The plant needs fresh air, but drafts should be avoided.
These houseplants require abundant regular watering in the summer, but it is not worth pouring. In winter, moderate watering is recommended. Water should be soft, steady, room temperature or slightly warmer. It is necessary to constantly monitor the level of soil moisture, since the plant is afraid of drying and waterlogging.
During the growing season, the plant likes high humidity. Recommend constant spraying with soft water at room temperature.
In May - June, start feeding the coffee, with a frequency of once every 10-14 days. For top dressing, salts of nitrogen or potassium are suitable. For 1 liter of water, 3 g of potassium salt and 5 g of ammonium nitrate. Adult trees should receive up to 1 liter of this solution during the growing season. In the autumn-winter period, the feeding is stopped.
For coffee to take the form of a bush, young shoots are advised to pinch. The dried young shoots must be removed, trimming them at the very base.
For the first time the plant blooms in about 3-4 years. It happens in the early spring. Coffee has small white flowers, with a pleasant aroma, similar to the smell of jasmine. After a while, little green fruit begins to tie, which eventually turn red. In each fetus, two seeds are formed, which we are accustomed to call "coffee". In the conditions of an apartment for the ripening of coffee beans it will take about a year. When the fruits ripen, they will acquire a bright red, red color.
Transplant young plants need every year until the vegetative period, older plants are transplanted every 2 years. If the tree grows in a tub, then as the tubs rot. But such plants require constant podsypki land. The soil for the coffee tree is weakly acidic. Substrate for transplantation should consist in equal parts of turf, leaf earth, sand and humus. At the bottom of the pot should be good drainage.
Reproduction of a plant.
Propagation of the plant coffee tree is usually seed, as the trees are poorly formed cuttings.
Seeds for planting are suitable for a year after assembly, as they lose their germination capacity. Sow the seeds in boxes or bowls. The optimum temperature for seed germination is 20 degrees. The composition of the substrate for planting: leaf - 1/2 part, turf - 1 part and sand - 1 part. Adult seedlings are transplanted into small pots. The composition of the land is the same and watered abundantly. When the roots overtake the whole lump of earth, another transplant is made. For the substrate is taken in equal proportions turf, leaf earth and sand. In summer, you can carry out feeding of slurry, every 14 days.
Possible problems.
Leaves can become discolored if the soil is not acidic enough.
If the air is not sufficiently moist, the tips of the leaves may dry out.
If the plant is exposed to direct sunlight, it may get burned. The leaves turn yellow, or they will cover with brown spots.
Excessive watering can cause decay and loss of foliage.
To avoid damage to the leaves of the tree, the plant should be watered with exceptionally soft water. It can be softened with the help of special tablets, defended or peated, keeping it in a jar with water for irrigation.
For the coffee tree, the following pests are terrible: scabbard, aphid, spider mite and mealybug.
Beneficial features.
The drink, which is made from roasted coffee seeds, relieves the headache, dilates the vessels. Helps in some cases of poisoning.
In the room conditions, the seeds are removed from the seeds and dried in the open air. Dried seeds are fried so that they have a brown color, pray and boil with boiling water (1 tablespoon per cup of water). You need to insist for an hour.