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bourbon coffee

Coffea arabica L.

Family: Rubiaceae · Genus: Coffea

red bourbon, yellow bourbon

Secondary I Medium No biomass production 🪓 Coppices after cutting
Forest and Kim Starr · CC BY · iNaturalist

Heirloom arabica cultivar — originated on Bourbon Island (modern Réunion) in the 18th century. Tall (3–4 m), open canopy. Susceptible to coffee leaf rust and leaf miner. Early ripening; medium yellow or red fruits. Prized in specialty markets for cup complexity. In syntropic systems plays a taller structural role than dwarf cultivars.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Coffea arabica 'Bourbon'

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Secondary I
Ecological role
Late secondary
Primary stratum
Medium
Strata
Medium, Low
Biomass class
No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement
Partial shade
Water requirement
Moderate
Drought tolerance
Moderate
Waterlogging tolerance
None
Soil pH range
5–6.5
Preferred soil texture
Loamy
Hardiness zones
10–12
Frost tolerance
0.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height
3–4 m
Recommended spacing
2–3 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Medium
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
20–40 years
Time to first harvest
36 months
Productive lifespan
25 years

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Bourbon coffee takes the Medium stratum in the Secondary I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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Emergent High Medium · ≈4 m Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Spacing 3×2 m to 4×2.5 m. Deep well-drained soil. Traditional in South Minas and Southwestern São Paulo.

✂️ Management & Pruning

Like arabica, tolerates light annual pruning and renewal pruning (stumping/skeletonising) every 3–5 years, resprouting from the base.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: August, September, October, November

Fruiting months: May, June, July, August

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of bourbon coffee?

The first harvest of bourbon coffee comes around 36 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for bourbon coffee?

The recommended spacing for bourbon coffee is 2–3 m.

How tall does bourbon coffee grow?

At maturity, bourbon coffee reaches 3–4 m tall.

When does bourbon coffee fruit?

Fruiting of bourbon coffee occurs in May, June, July, August.

When does bourbon coffee flower?

Flowering of bourbon coffee occurs in August, September, October, November.

What stage and stratum does bourbon coffee occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, bourbon coffee belongs to the secondary i stage, occupying the medium stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit 🍯 Melliferous

Propagation

Seed, Grafting

Citations

  1. Revista Cafeicultura — Origem e características das cultivares de café (height_min_m, height_max_m)
  2. Plants For A Future (PFAF) — Coffea arabica (ph_min, ph_max, waterlogging_tolerance, light_need)
  3. Androcioli Filho, A. & Caramori, P.H. (2000) — Influence of Coffee Pruning on the Severity of Frost Damage (Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology 43:1) (frost_tolerance_c, pruning_notes)
  4. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Coffea arabica L. (external_ids)
  5. Wikidata — Coffea arabica (Q47685) (external_ids)

External references

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