Eating them reminds me of eating raw cranberries, but with a tougher outer skin - pretty neat!
My feeling of annoyance from having walked into a tree was quickly overcome with curiosity and excitement. I immediately recognized the bright red cherries, but I did not expect to encounter the trees in a neighbor's front yard. What were these plants doing here? Is there a way to get freshly grown and roasted coffee in my own town? Did the coffee I drank that morning come from that very tree? Although there's not a ton of coffee production in my town, it was still really neat to see the coffee plants up close.
Most coffee plants around the world are a species called Coffea arabica, which is believed to have originated in modern-day Ethiopia. Today, however, you can find coffee plants all over the world, in countries such as Kenya, Brazil, and of course, Peru! Coffee plants grow in the tropics, but diverse weather patterns, soil characteristics, and growing seasons give each region its distinct coffee flavors and smells. Coffee from Peru is known for its pleasant flavors. Some people say Peruvian coffee has chocolatey and nutty flavors!
Coffee plants tend to grow best at elevations of 600-2000 meters, or about 2000-6500 feet. Coffee plants are also accustomed to warmer temperatures, so you're more likely to find the trees growing in tropical regions near the equator. Coffee plants wouldn't survive the winter frost you'll find in many parts of the United States. This means you won't find any wild coffee plants growing in New Jersey!
