ROBUSTA

Coffee Canephora (Coffee Robusta) is a species of coffee which has its origins in central and western subsaharan Africa. It is mostly grown in Vietnam where French colonists introduced it in the late 19th century. Coffee robusta is also grown in Africa and Brazil, where it is often called conillon. In recent years Vietnam, which only produces robusta, has surpassed Brazil, India, and Indonesia to become the world's single largest exporter of robusta coffee. Brazil is still the biggest producer of coffee in the world, producing one-third of the world coffee, but 80% is Coffee arabica. Approximately one-third of the coffee produced in the world is robusta.Canephora is easier to care for than the other major species of coffee,  Coffee canephora grew indigenously in Western and Central Africa. It was not recognized as a species of Coffee until the 19th century, about a hundred years after Coffee arabica. The plant has a shallow root system and grows as a robust tree or shrub to about 10 metres. It flowers irregularly, taking about 10–11 months for cherries to ripen, producing oval shaped beans. The robusta plant has a greater crop yield than that of Coffee arabica. As it is less susceptible to pests and disease, robusta needs much less herbicide and pesticide than arabica. This may be due to the higher caffeine content.

 

Once roasted, canephora tends to deliver a distinctive earthy flavour, usually with more bitterness than arabica. This powerful flavour can be desirable in a blend to give it perceived "strength" and "finish", noticeably in Italian coffee culture. In France, blends with around 70% robusta and 30% arabica are marketed as "traditional" coffee. Usually, coffee brewed from these blends or from straight robusta are mixed in even parts with hot milk in a cup or bowl before drinking. Arabica, and, because of this, is cheaper to produce. Since arabica beans are often considered superior, robusta is usually limited to use as a filler in lower-grade coffee blends. It is also often included in instant coffee, and in espresso blends to promote the formation of "crema". Robusta has about twice as much caffeine as arabica.

Coffea canephora grew indigenously in Western and Central Africa. It was not recognized as a species of Coffee until the 19th century, about a hundred years after Coffea arabica. The plant has a shallow root system and grows as a robust tree or shrub to about 10 metres. It flowers irregularly, taking about 10–11 months for cherries to ripen, producing oval shaped beans. The robusta plant has a greater crop yield than that of Coffea arabica. As it is less susceptible to pests and disease, robusta needs much less herbicide and pesticide than arabica. This may be due to the higher caffeine content. Once roasted, canephora tends to deliver a distinctive earthy flavour, usually with more bitterness than arabica. This powerful flavour can be desirable in a blend to give it perceived "strength" and "finish", noticeably in Italian coffee culture. In France, blends with around 70% robusta and 30% arabica are marketed as "traditional" coffee. Usually, coffee brewed from these blends or from straight robusta are mixed in even parts with hot milk in a cup or bowl before drinking.

Scientific classification

Binomial name: Coffea Canephora

Kingdom:         Plantae

(unranked):     Angiosperms

(unranked):     Eudicots

(unranked):     Asterids

Order:              Gentianales

Family:             Rubiaceae

Genus:            Coffea

Species:         C. Canephora