Coffee plant as a houseplant: light, watering and growing under glass
How to grow a coffee plant (Coffea arabica) at home: where to put it, watering, warmth, common problems, and how it does in a terrarium. No promise of a harvest.
In this guide
The coffee plant (Coffea arabica) grows well indoors, in partial shade and without direct sun. Its potting soil should stay slightly moist, without being soaked. It likes warmth and humid air, which also makes it a good terrarium plant. In a pot or under glass, it stays an ornamental plant: it will not give you coffee.
Profile
| Botanical name | Coffea arabica |
| Common name | Coffee plant |
| Origin | Ethiopia |
| Foliage | Evergreen, dark green, glossy, wavy edges |
| Light | Partial shade, without direct sun |
| Watering | Moderate, potting soil slightly moist but not wet |
| Terrarium | Suitable, according to the supplier |
| Difficulty | Easy |
The coffee plant is a tropical shrub. In the wild and on plantations, it grows large. NC State Extension says that indoors, it is usually kept between 1.2 and 1.8 m. The young plants sold for terrariums are much smaller.
Our coffee plant arrives in a 6 cm pot. It is 15 to 20 cm tall, pot included. Each plant grows at its own pace: the shape and density of the foliage vary from one plant to the next.
Light: partial shade, without direct sun
Place the coffee plant in a bright spot, in partial shade, away from direct sunlight. The University of Florida (UF/IFAS) fact sheet also describes it as a partial-shade plant. Behind a sunny window, the leaves can burn.
Light that is too weak is not ideal either. NC State Extension recommends bright light for growing it indoors. A bright room, with the plant a little back from the window, is a good compromise.
Watering: moist, never soaked
Water moderately. The potting soil should stay slightly moist, without being soaked. NC State Extension gives the same advice: evenly moist soil, but never waterlogged.
Touch the surface before you water. If it is starting to dry, water gently. If it is still moist, wait. Empty the water left in the saucer or the cover pot: standing water makes the roots rot, according to UF/IFAS.
The 6 cm pot holds little soil. So it dries faster in summer and near a heater. Our guide Watering indoor plants covers the ways to check.
Warmth and air humidity
The coffee plant does not like the cold. NC State Extension warns that its leaves can drop below about 13 °C. Keep it in a heated room, away from open windows and drafts in winter.
The same source recommends high humidity for coffee plants grown indoors. In a heated living room, the air becomes dry in winter. This is one of the reasons why the coffee plant does well under glass: a closed terrarium keeps the humidity around the plant.
Why it will not give you coffee
A coffee plant in a 6 cm pot or in a terrarium stays an ornamental plant. It keeps its glossy foliage, but it does not bear fruit. NC State Extension says that a coffee plant in the ground flowers after three to four years, when it has room to become a shrub. Its flowers are white, star-shaped and fragrant.
So choose the coffee plant for its foliage. That is what makes the plant worthwhile, in a pot or under glass.
The coffee plant in a terrarium
The supplier lists the coffee plant as suitable for terrariums. Its love of humidity goes well with a closed container. In our arrangements, it adds height and dark green foliage, above lower plants such as fittonia.
The Tropical Coffee kit is a recycled glass bottle 23 cm in diameter and 25 cm tall, about 8 liters. Its neck is 9.5 cm wide. The cork lid has an LED, and the two AAA batteries are not included. The kit contains a coffee plant, a white fittonia, a red fittonia and all the substrate layers. Place it in bright light, without direct sun. Water it once or twice a year, and open the bottle for a few hours once a month.
The size M jar kit pairs a coffee plant with a straight glass jar 18 cm in diameter and 28 cm tall. No lid comes with the jar: it is an open terrarium, easy to plant thanks to its wide opening. The substrate layers in sizes S and M and five-step assembly instructions are included. Bright light, never direct sun on the glass.
The set of three plants brings together a coffee plant, a white fittonia and a red fittonia, with moss, 1.75 L of potting soil, clay balls and activated charcoal. It is designed for a container 20 to 30 cm in diameter, which is not included.
For step-by-step assembly, follow our guide How to make a terrarium. If this is your first terrarium with tropical plants, also read Tropical terrarium for beginners.
Common problems
Leaves falling. Check the temperature first. Below about 13 °C, the coffee plant can lose its leaves. A sudden change of spot can also stress it.
Limp leaves and wet potting soil. This is a sign of too much water. Let the potting soil dry out a little and water less often.
Burnt leaves. Dry patches on the top leaves often mean the sun is too direct. Move the plant away from the window.
Insects. NC State Extension and UF/IFAS list scale insects and mealybugs, thrips and mites. Look under the leaves and along the stems. Isolate the plant as soon as you see white clusters, sticky spots or fine webs.
Plant touching the glass. Under glass, a leaf pressed against the glass stays wet and can rot. Cut it off with fine scissors.
In short
- Partial shade, without direct sun, in a bright room.
- Potting soil slightly moist, never soaked, and no water in the saucer.
- A warm room: below about 13 °C, the leaves can drop.
- It likes humid air, which makes it a good terrarium plant.
- In a pot or under glass, it stays an ornamental plant and does not give coffee.
Sources
- Coffea arabica, NC State Extension Plant Toolbox
- Coffea arabica: Coffee, UF/IFAS Extension
- Manufacturer data sheets (dimensions of the plant and the containers, kit contents)
Frequently asked questions
Does an indoor coffee plant produce coffee?
No, not in the conditions of a home. In a 6 cm pot or in a terrarium, it stays an ornamental plant and does not bear fruit. A coffee plant only flowers after several years, when it has room to become a shrub.
Where should I place a coffee plant in the home?
In partial shade, without direct sun. A bright spot, away from the sun's rays, suits it. Avoid cold rooms and drafts: its leaves can drop when it is too cold.
Why are my coffee plant's leaves falling?
Cold is a common cause: NC State Extension reports leaf drop below about 13 °C. Soaked substrate can also damage the roots. Check the room temperature and let the potting soil dry out a little.
Does a coffee plant go in a closed terrarium?
Yes. The supplier lists it as suitable for terrariums, and its love of humidity goes well with a closed container. Our Tropical Coffee kit pairs it with two fittonias in an 8-liter bottle.
