Coffee Growing

The ecological processes behind one of the world’s most popular beverages

You drink it everyday. It’s black. It smells good.

It tastes good too.

A lot of people drink it just like you. They order a “cup of coffee” and drink it quickly before work, or during a break.

Among the millions of people drinking this black fluid, only a few know about the wonderful life of the coffee trees. It’s a story about growing up in luxurious highlands or the slums of the lowlands. It’s the story of finding a good place for a good life.

It is the story of the coffee tree.

The coffee we drink every morning does not come from a single plant. It’s from two different species of plants. Those two species of coffee are like brothers who grew up in different districts of the same city.

Coffea arabica, the Arabian coffee, is originally from the high plateaus of Ethiopia. It grew up at an altitude of 1300–2000m above sea level, where the air is thin and temperatures a little chilly. Plants, pests and insects are less abundant in the tropical highlands that Arabica calls home. In this comfortable environment, Arabica didn’t have to compete against other plants or defend itself against diseases or pests. It grew up with a silver spoon in its…