Coffee Varieties

For Connoisseurs

Types of Coffee & Cultivation Process

Among the many varieties of coffee grown in Puerto Rico, here is a sampling of some of the more popular:

Coffea arabica Type A is the most widely-grown coffee in the world and in Puerto Rico, comprising approximately 80 percent of total production. When growing wild, the plant reaches an average height of 18 to 25 feet. The blossoms are white and fragrant. Coffea arabica beans are distinguished for their superior flavor.

Coffea canephora is native to the equatorial regions of Africa, stretching from the western coastal regions all the way to the areas of Uganda and southern Sudan. Its flowers are white and sometimes tinged with shades of pink. Approximately 20% percent of global coffee production is Coffea canephora and 18% of all Puerto Rican coffee belongs to this variety.

Typica is a traditional heirloom varietal derived from the Coffea arabica plant growing wild along the Ethiopian plateaus of Africa. The plant is conical in shape, straight-trunked, and its prolific branches offer an abundant production of fruit. Both fruit and seed are large in size. The majority of Puerto Rico¹s specialty coffees belong to the Typica variety.

Bourbon is a natural mutation of the Typica variety, first found on the island of Reunion. The compactness of its branches allows the Bourbon to yield a greater number of fruit, though somewhat smaller in size than those of the Typica variety. During heavy rainfall, the Bourbon suffers the drawback of frequently dropping fruit during harvest, thus reducing yields. Nevertheless, the flavor of this bean is very highly regarded. The Bourbon varietals Caturra and Pacas are also grown in Puerto Rico.

According to the Coffee Research Institute, Typica and Bourbon are considered to be the first coffee varietals. Most latter varietals are considered byproducts of these two cultivars.

Over the years, Puerto Rico has produced several local hybrids as well: the Porto Rico Limani and Frontón varietals are among those most worthy of mention.

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