Image: Coffea canephora at Aanakkulam

Description: Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora; syn. Coffea robusta) is a species of coffee that has its origins in central and western sub-Saharan Africa. It is a species of flowering plant in the Rubiaceae family. Though widely known as Coffea robusta, the plant is scientifically identified as Coffea canephora, which has two main varieties - Robusta and Nganda. The plant has a shallow root system and grows as a robust tree or shrub to about 10 metres. It flowers irregularly, taking about 10–11 months for cherries to ripen, producing oval-shaped beans. The robusta plant has a greater crop yield than that of Coffea arabica, and contains more caffeine - 2.7% compared to arabica's 1.5%. As it is less susceptible to pests and disease, robusta needs much less herbicide and pesticide than arabica. Originating in upland forests in Ethiopia, C. canephora grows indigenously in Western and Central Africa. It was not recognized as a species of Coffea until the 19th century, about a hundred years after Coffea arabica.
Title: Coffea canephora at Aanakkulam
Credit: Own work
Author: Jeevan Jose, Kerala, India
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