Racemosa coffee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Racemosa coffee |
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| Coffea racemosa berries | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Coffea
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| Species: |
racemosa
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| Synonyms | |
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Cofea ramosa J. J. Roemer & J. A. Schultes (1819) |
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Coffea racemosa, also called racemosa coffee or Inhambane coffee, is a special type of flowering plant. It belongs to the plant family called Rubiaceae. This plant is famous because its coffee beans naturally have very little caffeine. It has less than half the caffeine of Coffea arabica and only a quarter of the caffeine in Robusta coffee.
This unique coffee plant grows naturally in a small area. This area is along the coast between northern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa and Zimbabwe. The total area where it grows is smaller than 150 km2 (58 sq mi). In the 1960s and 1970s, people from Portugal grew a lot of this coffee in Mozambique. Today, only two farms still grow it. One is on Ibo Island and the other is in Hluhluwe.
Racemosa Coffee: A Special Plant
Coffea racemosa is a very interesting plant. It is known for its low caffeine content. This makes it different from many other coffee types. It is also special because it only grows in a small part of Africa.
What Does it Look Like?
The Coffea racemosa plant can be a bush or a small tree. It can grow up to 3.5 m (11 ft) tall. Its branches spread out.
- Flowers: The plant has white or pinkish flowers. They are about 2 cm (1 in) wide. The flowers grow alone or in small groups along the branches. They bloom between September and February.
- Fruit: The fruit is almost round. When it is ripe, it turns purple or black. People pick these fruits from the wild. They use them to make coffee for their local communities.
- Beans: The coffee beans from Coffea racemosa are small. They are about one-third the size of Arabica beans.
How is Racemosa Coffee Made?
To make coffee from Coffea racemosa, the beans are prepared in a special way.
- First, the beans are picked from the plant.
- Then, they are roasted. This means they are heated until they turn brown. Sometimes, a little salt is sprinkled on the beans while they are roasting.
- After roasting, the beans are ground into a fine powder.
- Finally, this powder is used to brew a cup of coffee.
