Coffee bush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coffee bush |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Breynia oblongifolia fruit and foliage | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Breynia
|
| Species: |
oblongifolia
|
The Coffee Bush (Breynia oblongifolia) is a cool plant that grows naturally in Australia and New Guinea. It's usually a shrub, which is like a big bush, and can grow up to 3 meters (about 10 feet) tall!
What it Looks Like
This plant has special leaves that are about 20 to 30 millimeters (around 1 inch) long. They are shaped like an egg and grow one after another along the stem, not in pairs.
In spring and summer, the Coffee Bush grows small, green flowers. After the flowers, it produces round, orange or pink berries. These berries are about 6 millimeters (a quarter of an inch) wide. When they are fully ripe, they turn black.
Where it Grows
The Coffee Bush is super tough and can grow in many different places. You can find it in warm, wet rainforests along the coast in North Queensland and New Guinea. It also grows in cooler woodlands in New South Wales, where eucalyptus trees are common. Even in dry areas of Western Queensland, you might spot it in woodlands with acacia trees.
This plant loves areas that have been disturbed, like places where land has been cleared. It can quickly grow back and fill these empty spots. Sometimes, it even pops up in gardens! If an area usually has fires, and then the fires stop, the Coffee Bush can spread a lot. It might even take over from other plants that need fire to grow well.
Its Role in Nature
The Coffee Bush is important for many animals. Lots of different creatures eat its leaves, berries, and flowers. This makes it a valuable part of the ecosystem, providing food and shelter for wildlife.
Similar Plants
You might sometimes confuse the Coffee Bush with plants from the Senna group, which grow in similar places. But there's an easy way to tell them apart! The Coffee Bush has leaves that grow one after another along the stem. Senna plants have leaves that grow in pairs, facing each other.
Also, Senna plants have bright yellow flowers that are easy to see. After their flowers, they grow long, bean-like pods. The Coffee Bush, on the other hand, has small, green flowers that are hard to spot, and it grows red berries instead of pods.
How it Gets Pollinated
Just like other plants in its family, the Coffee Bush likely depends on tiny insects called leafflower moths (from the Epicephala group) to help it make seeds. These moths visit the flowers and help move pollen from one flower to another. Scientists have even found leafflower moths growing from the fruit of the Coffee Bush in Australia!
