Where did the arabica coffee bean come from and spread to?

Coffea arabica, known as the arabica coffee bean, is the most traditional species in the Coffea genus. It originated in East Africa, and the coffee trade was long controlled by the Arab world before the 15th century, which is where the name Arabian coffee comes from. It still accounts for about three-quarters of global coffee production.

A large-scale disease outbreak at the end of the 19th century pushed growers toward resistant varieties, yet arabica remains the mainstay. Growing areas sit mainly in Latin America, with some in Indonesia and the Pacific islands. Brazil is the largest arabica coffee producing country, with suitable terroir and output above one-third of the world total.

Coffea arabica, commonly known as Arabica coffee beans, is the most traditional and important species in the Coffea genus. It originated in East Africa and was long monopolized by the Arab world before the 15th century, hence the name "Arabian coffee." At the end of the 19th century, a large-scale disease outbreak prompted growers to seek disease-resistant alternative varieties, but Coffea arabica still accounts for about three-quarters of global coffee production today, mainly grown in Latin America, with Brazil standing out as the largest producer thanks to its suitable terroir. This article will systematically trace the core knowledge of Coffea arabica, from historical legends and plant habits to taxonomic changes, and help you rediscover this familiar bean.

Coffea arabica, with the scientific name Coffea arabica, is also often called Arabian coffee or Arabica coffee in Chinese. It belongs to the Rubiaceae family and the Coffea genus, making it the most traditionally significant member of the coffee family. This plant originally came from East Africa, and before the 15th century, the coffee trade was long controlled by the Arab world, so Europeans habitually called it "Arabian coffee."

In fact, almost all commercial coffee on the global market in the past was Coffea arabica. It was not until the end of the 19th century, when a large-scale disease struck, that growers were forced to look for other varieties with stronger disease resistance. Even so, Coffea arabica remains the mainstay of world coffee production today, accounting for about three-quarters of total output. Its growing areas are concentrated in Latin American countries, with some distribution in Indonesia and the Pacific islands as well. As the world's largest coffee-producing country, Brazil has geographical and climatic conditions especially suited to Coffea arabica, and its main cultivated variety is also Coffea arabica, with output accounting for more than one-third of the world total.

History

The most widely circulated account is that a shepherd in Ethiopia noticed that goats became especially excited after eating the leaves and fruit of the coffee tree. Later, missionaries picked this plant and boiled it into a beverage, and coffee was thus discovered. Even today, some people in Ethiopia still drink the liquid brewed from coffee leaves. The earliest written record of grinding coffee beans for use comes from an Arab scholar, who mentioned that this drink helped extend their working hours. The practice of roasting coffee beans before use was first created by Arabs in Yemen, then spread to Egypt and Turkey, and eventually to the rest of the world.

Habits

The fruit of Coffea arabica is smaller than that of Coffea canephora and Coffea liberica. The berry is oval and usually contains two seeds, which are what we call "coffee beans." It prefers a temperature of around 20°C and is suitable for planting at an altitude of 600 meters in mineral-rich volcanic soil. Coffea arabica was first discovered in the southwestern highlands of Yemen, and today it is very rare in its place of origin. However, native species have also appeared in the Boma Plateau of South Sudan and Marsabit in Kenya, but whether they were transplanted there or originally existed there remains uncertain, so the question of Coffea arabica's place of origin is still disputed. The Coffea arabica commonly seen today is mostly the descendant of hybridization and improvement with other varieties.

Classification

Coffea arabica was initially studied by Antoine de Jussieu based on samples from the Amsterdam Botanical Garden and classified under the Lauraceae family and Jasminum genus. By 1737, Linnaeus reclassified it under the Rubiaceae family and Coffea genus, and the Coffea genus thus became a completely new dedicated branch.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.