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What are the Characteristics of Arabica Coffee Beans? Are Arabica Coffee Beans Black Coffee?

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange For more coffee bean information Please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account cafe_style ) FrontStreet Coffee - Arabica Coffee Introduction Arabica - Morphological Characteristics The Arabica species belongs to larger shrubs, with oval-shaped, dark green leaves, and oval-shaped fruits as well. Wild plants generally grow to 9-12 meters tall, with spreading branches. The leaves grow opposite each other, oval-elliptical or long-oval in shape, 6-12 cm in length

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Arabica Coffee

Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style).

Arabica - Physical Characteristics

Arabica is a relatively large shrub with elliptical, dark green leaves and oval-shaped fruits. Wild plants typically grow 9-12 meters tall with spreading branches. The leaves are opposite, elliptical-ovate or long-ovate, 6-12 cm long and 4-8 cm wide, dark green in color. The flowers are white, 10-15 mm in diameter, and grow in clusters in the leaf axils.

The berries are elliptical, 10-15 mm in diameter, turning bright red to purple when ripe. They typically contain two slightly flattened beans. The beans are small and round, with a long-oval front side and a narrow, curved S-shaped crack in the middle. The back of the bean has a relatively smooth arc - what we call "coffee beans." The caffeine content is approximately 1%-1.7%. Research on cultivation distribution shows that Arabica is highly sensitive to environmental changes and can only survive within a very narrow temperature range.

Arabica coffee trees mostly grow at altitudes between 900-2000 meters. They are relatively cold-resistant, with an optimal growth temperature of 15-24°C. They require high humidity with annual rainfall of no less than 1500 ml, while also demanding higher cultivation techniques and conditions.

Today, Arabica coffee beans are mainly produced in South America, Central American countries, Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, and other places, mainly East Africa), and Asia (including parts of Yemen, India, and Papua New Guinea). China's Yunnan, Hainan, and Taiwan regions also cultivate small amounts of Arabica coffee beans. Although Arabica has been commercially cultivated in many countries, wild Arabica only grows in the highlands of southern Ethiopia and small areas of neighboring South Sudan.

When it comes to specialty coffee (hopefully all the coffee you drink is specialty - the specialty coffee pit is where I am, welcome to join), it should be this type of coffee (anyway, we sell 100% Arabica). This coffee is one of the three major categories of coffee varieties. In other words, if we divide the most common coffees into three categories, it is one of them. So if we subdivide further, it can be divided into many, many varieties, such as by variety - Typica, Bourbon, Catimor, etc.; by region - Ethiopia, Brazil, etc.; by characteristics - Elephant Bean, Kopi Luwak, etc.; by altitude - high altitude, medium altitude, low altitude.

To summarize in one sentence: Arabica is the tastier type of coffee. As long as no other flavorings are added, Arabica can be said to be the best-tasting black coffee.

In Brief

FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research hall dedicated to sharing knowledge about coffee with everyone. We share without reservation only to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month, we hold three low-discount coffee events because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends enjoy the best coffee at the lowest price. This has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past 6 years!