Do coffee plants smell like coffee beans?
Written by
Tina Carter
Reviewed by
Prof. Martin Thorne, Ph.D.While many crops catch growers off guard, coffee plants may surprise them most because the flowers carry a jasmine-like floral smell that is nothing like the rich aroma of roasted coffee beans. The beautiful smell of coffee only emerges after the beans are harvested and roasted, and it was not until I had been sniffing those blossoms on my patio coffee plant for years that I learned that.
Flowering Phase
- White blooms release sweet, delicate fragrance for 2-3 days
- Scent peaks at dawn to attract pollinators
- Contains compounds similar to gardenia and orange blossom
Aroma Development
- Green beans have grassy, herbal odor pre-roasting
- Maillard reaction during roasting creates 800+ aromatic compounds
- My home-roasted beans developed nutty notes absent in raw seeds
Frequently, new growers confuse the aroma of nearby used coffee grounds with the natural flavor of their plant. I regularly compost the grounds under my tree, and the aroma often misleads visitors into believing that the leaves themselves are emitting the coffee aroma. Whenever possible, keep your growing space separated from your coffee brewing area to avoid such confusion (both sensory modalities often seem to confuse people).
Blossom Preservation
- Hand-pollinate flowers to extend blooming period
- Avoid touching blooms; oils reduce fragrance longevity
- Photograph daily to track scent intensity changes
Roasting Techniques
- Light roasts preserve floral notes from origin soils
- Cool beans on baking sheets for even aroma development
- Store in airtight containers with one-way valves
Though your green friend may not scent the space like a coffee house, its scented flowers signify important transitions in its growth. You will be able to track the progression of scents as your plant transitions through the seasons; I have noticed that spring flowers have a uniquely sweeter scent than flowers from autumn months. This cycle remains an important tether to the untranslatable language that all living things have for each other.
Read the full article: How to Grow Coffee at Home: Expert Tips for Success
