Florida Forest Plants

Wild coffee  (Psychotria nervosa)

Wild coffee is a native shrub distinguished by its beautiful evergreen foliage and bright red berries. Its conspicuous veins give the plant a textured look. It is found in shell ridge hammock understories with filtered sunlight and beneath cabbage palms.

The plant is utilized by many butterfly and bird species, including cardinals, mockingbirds, catbirds and spicebush swallowtail butterflies.

Another member of the 		 

Twig, leaves, and fruit
Rubiaceae family is Coffea arabica, which is the source of commercial coffee beans used for brewing. The fruits are similar but wild coffee is not recommended for human consumption.

Because wild coffee is cold sensitive, it ranges from St. Johns County south to the Keys. It is indigenous in the West Indies and Central America.

 Identifying Characteristics
Size/Form:
 Wild coffee is a dense, round, evergreen shrub that reaches heights of 10' to 15'.
Leaves:
 The leaves are simple, oppositely arranged, persistent, and 2" to 6" long by 2" wide. The elliptical-obovate leaves are dark, glossy green and usually have conspicuous (rugose) veins, giving them a wavy upper surface. The underside is a paler, dull green. The leaf base is wedged and the tip is acute. The margin is smooth, or irregularly wavy.
Fruit:
 The fruit is a small, bright red, oval drupe that contains two seeds.
Stem:
 The stem and twigs have noticeably raised nodes and are roughened between by irregular corkiness.
Habitat:
 Wild coffee grows in a variety of soils types, from wet to dry. It is found in near-coastal hammocks, pinelands and shell ridges. Other associated species include cabbage palms.


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Leaf
Fruit


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