How Many Coffee Plants Are There In The World? (Explained!)

Coffee belongs to the genus of plants called Coffea. Coffee has about 500 different genera and six thousand shrubs and tropical trees. According to the experts, there are well-known 25 to 100 other species of coffee plants known worldwide. 

The coffee you enjoy every morning is made up of the roasted beans of the coffee tree of different species, mainly Robusta and Arabica.

This article will look at all the different types of coffee available, what research has discovered, and what we know about coffee today.

Where Was The First Coffee Bean Roasted?

The first time coffee beans were roasted was in Yemen. These roasted beans were Arabica beans. The Arabian countries usually grew their coffee plants by importing them from Ethiopia.

Although there are about 100 species of coffee plants, two types are most important based on the industrial revolution, one is C.Arabica, and the other is C.canephora which is known as coffee robusta. Coffee Arabica is the most cultivated coffee species all over the world. 50 to 70% of coffee used worldwide is coffee Arabica. 

There are many types of coffee plants, but these two types are cultivated more than other species of coffee. The reason is that other species have low disease resistance, they are most sensitive to the environment, and their quality is not as good as the quality of these two coffee plants.

What Do You Know About Coffee Arabica? 

Coffea Arabica is the species of coffee plant that was first discovered and cultivated. People found this coffee plant in Ethiopia. Arabica coffee plays an essential role in filling the 60% demand for world coffee. 

There are further two varieties of coffee Arabica such as:

• Typica.

•  Bourbon. 

Most coffee needs are filled with these two types of coffee plants. The cultivation of the first coffee plant was held in the 16th century when people brought seeds of coffee plants to Yemen from Ethiopia. 

At the end of the 16th century, these seeds were sent to India and India to Malabar, then to Batavia Island, known as Java.

These coffee seeds were then introduced in Europe and South America.  In this way, people spread these coffee seeds all over the world.

Arabica Typica and Bourbon seeds have the following characteristics:

• These coffee plants are susceptible to many diseases. 

• Their growth rate is higher than other coffee plants. 

• These can yield fruits twice a year. 

These coffee plants are primarily found in Peru and Jamaica. Coffee plants in Jamaica are known as Jamaican Blue Mountain. 

Historical records say that the French introduced the coffee plants in Bourbon. They brought the seeds from Yemen and cultivated them in Bourbon. The first cultivation of coffee seeds was held in the 19th century. 

French missionaries took these coffee beans from Bourbon and introduced them to Africa. The plantation takes place in Kilimanjaro and Tasmania. These are the highlands in Africa where locals started the first cultivation of coffee. In America, the Bourbon coffee seeds were introduced in 1860. After that, these beans were introduced in Brazil and then spread to Central America. 

What Is Known by Researchers About Coffee Robusta? 

C.canephora, or coffee Robusta, was first grown in central Africa, and then people spread it to central and west Africa, Brazil, and South Asia. Finally, these coffee beans were introduced to Indonesia in the 20th century. 

The following characteristics of Coffea robusta make it unique from other types of coffees:

• Coffee Robusta can survive even better in a warm climate, but Arabica can’t.

• Coffee Robusta is resistant to leaf rust. 

• This type of coffee is more bitter. 

• Caffeine is higher in this type of coffee bean. 

This type of coffee is mainly cultivated in Brazil’s city Bouillon. It provides 30% of coffee production all over the world. This type of coffee is used primarily as instant coffee and blends. 

What Is The Difference Between Coffee Seeds and Coffee Types? 

There are mainly two species of coffee plants worldwide: Coffee Arabia and Coffee Robusta. However, many different types of coffee types that come from these, such as:

There are tremendous varieties of coffee, such as:

• Jamaican blue mountain coffee.

• Americano coffee.

• Kona coffee. 

• Benguet coffee.

• Guadeloupe bonifieur. 

• Cuban espresso.

Who are the Main Cultivators of Coffee Worldwide?

The main cultivars of coffee all over the world are:

• Ethiopian landraces.

• Sudan Rome. 

• Typica. 

• Bourbon. 

• Kent. 

• Java. 

• Gesha. 

• Brazil. 

• Yemen. 

• South America. 

• Central and East Africa. 

What Is The Most Popular Coffee Species? 

Coffee Arabica is the world’s most popular coffee species. It belongs to the Rubiaceae family and is ordered Gentianales.

It is the most expensive coffee globally because it is tough to grow. The coffee beans of this species grow in the bean belt that is the area between the tropics of Capricorn and Cancer. It is produced in almost 50 different countries. 

The characteristics of coffee arabica are as follows:

• Arabica coffee plants grow in the shade of other plants. 

• They need more water for total growth. 

• These plants usually grow on high altitudes. It is because these are more susceptible to attacks by parasites. Therefore, they must be developed at the height of 2000 feet.

• These plants are between 9 to 15 feet at full length.

Coffee Robusta is considered a type of high-quality coffee bean. It has a complex and smooth flavor. They are less bitter, and mainly depends on the area where it is cultivated. 

What Is The Specialty Of The World’s Most Famous Coffee? 

The world’s most famous coffee Arabica has about 60% more lipid and doubles the amount of sugar. As a result, this coffee has more taste and aroma than any other type of coffee. Other coffee plants mature within 5 to 7 years, but coffee robusta can develop within 2 to 3 years. 

How Does the Arabica Coffee Plant Pollinate?

Arabica coffee plant is a type of self-pollinating plant. This self-pollination provides more beans production and less mutation, and its variety remains the same.