Coffee Varieties

Panamanian Geisha has exceptionally high quality at high altitudes. The term ​“Geisha” is often applied to other coffees that do not share the distinct genetics of Panamanian Geisha. Geisha is also cultivated widely in Malawi.

An umbrella term for thousands of indigenous Ethiopian Arabica varieties. The genetic ancestry of all coffee in the world, unmatched genetic diversity.

A rare and intriguing Colombian variety with a distinctive 'navel' on the bottom of the cherry. Bold and complex cup profile loved by the specialty industry.

A Colombian-Ecuadorian variety highly prized in specialty coffee. Refined body, clean acidity, and a complex aromatic profile.

High cup quality, adapted for agroforestry; limited cultivation in Java

Very high yielding variety, with rust resistance and good quality at elevations above 1300 meters. Variety not uniform.

A tall variety that combines high yields, tolerance to coffee leaf rust, resistance to coffee berry disease, and good cup quality.

One of the most culturally and genetically important C. arabica varieties in the world, known for excellent quality in the cup at the highest altitudes.

Vigorous and highly productive tall variety with very good cup quality. Found commonly in Rwanda and Burundi.

Moderate yield, good cup potential, and susceptible to major diseases. Adapted for medium altitudes. Found commonly in Rwanda and Burundi.

Rust-tolerant with high vigor; limited cultivation in Java.

Very good cup quality with large beans. An important regional variety in Monagas state in northeastern Venezuela.

High yielding variety, with exceptional quality at elevations above 1300 meters.

Recommended for specialty coffee production in Brazil. Broadly adaptable and drought-tolerant.

High yielding/​Dwarf/​Compact variety resistant to coffee leaf rust and coffee berry disease. Found commonly in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Adapted to warmest zones and acidic soils. High yielding.

A compact plant with high yielding potential of standard quality in Central America. Very high susceptibility to coffee leaf rust.

A compact plant with good yielding potential of standard quality in Central America. Very high susceptibility to coffee leaf rust.

Very high yielding with very good quality potential if planted in healthy soil and at elevations >1300 meters, with resistance to rust. Well-adapted for agroforestry.

High yielding variety adapted to warmest zones and acidic soils.

Well-adapted to medium altitudes. Resistant to coffee leaf rust and some nematodes.

High production yield and very good quality potential. Suitable for agroforestry systems.

Variety with very high productivity, tolerance to rust, and very good quality. Excellent adaptation to humid environments.

Very high yielding variety at elevations at high altitudes.

Early production and high yielding plant resistant to coffee leaf rust. Well-adapted to low and medium altitudes. Found primarily in Puerto Rico.

High yielding variety, with very good quality at elevations above 1300 meters.

High yielding with very good cup quality potential, but susceptible to the major diseases and prone to die back. This is the Harar variety sometimes found in Rwanda (no longer recommended by Rwandan coffee authorities because of its short productive life).

High yielding plant adapted to medium altitudes. Resistant to coffee leaf rust and some nematodes.

High yielding plant adapted to lowest altitudes. Requires high fertilization.

Good tolerance to heat, drought, and low-fertility soil. Adapted to various coffee-growing regions in Brazil, with high productivity especially in the early harvests.

Highly resistant to coffee leaf rust, suitable for high altitude cultivation and mechanical harvesting.

Very vigorous and highly productive. Found commonly in Rwanda and Burundi.

High quality in Central America. Tolerant to major diseases, with low fertilizer requirement. Good choice for smallholder farmers.

Tolerant to coffee berry disease. Found primarily in Kenya and Tanzania.

Adapted for agroforestry, with good yields and high resistance to rust in global trials.

Tolerant of drought and coffee leaf rust but highly susceptible to coffee berry disease. Found mostly in Uganda.

High yielding variety adapted to warmest zones and acidic soils.

An elusive Puerto Rican variety.

Good to very good cup quality in Central America, but highly susceptible to rust. Very low yielding, large leaves and large internodes.

High yielding plant adapted to medium altitudes. Notably high acidity in the cup.

Exceptional cup quality and drought tolerant, but highly susceptible to major diseases. Important variety for smallholder coffee growers in Rwanda and Burundi.

Very high-yielding variety, with rust resistance and good quality at elevations above 1300 meters. Variety not uniform.

Compact variety with very good cup quality and large beans, tolerance to coffee leaf rust and nematodes, and high yield potential. An important regional variety in Venezuela.

Very high yielding variety if planted in healthy soil, with very good quality at elevations above 1300 meters. Well-adapted to agroforestery conditions.

A vigorous and productive plant with good quality cup but susceptible to major diseases. Grown widely in South America, but rarely in Central America and the Caribbean.

High yielding variety at high altitudes with very good cup quality.

A Robusta variety used for rootstock grafting because of its high resistance to nematodes. Arabica plants (any variety) can be grafted onto Nemaya roostock to make the plant resistant to nematodes.

Good cup quality, but susceptible to major diseases. Preferred by smallholder farmers in Uganda.

A high yielding, rust-resistant Brazilian variety recently introduced to Costa Rica.

Adapted to warmest zones and acidic soils. High yielding.

Capable of producing exceptional cup quality. Very high susceptibility to coffee leaf rust. Variety not uniform; plants are not stable from one generation to the next.

Standard quality in Central America. Very high susceptibility to coffee leaf rust.

A compact plant with medium yield and good quality, but highly susceptible to major diseases.

Well-adapted to medium altitudes, resistant to coffee leaf rust and some nematodes.

Very high-yielding and rust-resistant compact variety developed in Brazil and recently introduced to Central America.

High yielding with tolerance to drought, coffee leaf rust, and coffee berry disease. Adapted to a wide range of ecosystems. Found mostly in Rwanda.

High yielding tall variety resistant to rust and coffee berry disease recently released in Rwanda.

High-yielding, Dwarf/​Compact hybrid tolerant to coffee leaf rust and resistant to coffee berry disease (CBD). Released in Kenya.

An Indian breeding line this is not yet commercially released.

High-yielding variety that is widely cultivated in India.

A good-yielding tall variety with drought and cold tolerance. Found mostly in Kenya and Uganda.

Drought tolerant and very good cup quality potential, but susceptible to major diseases. Found commonly in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Zimbabwe.

Exceptional cup quality but highly susceptible to coffee berry disease. Found mostly in Kenya.

High yield and strong rust tolerance coming from both robusta and liberica parentage.

Adapted to mid-to-high altitude Indian tropics, with good rust resistance and yields.

High yielding plant adapted to medium altitudes. Notably high acidity in the cup.

High-yielding plant adapted to lowest altitudes. Requires high fertilization. Variety not uniform.

Well-adapted to medium altitudes. Variety not uniform.

High-yielding variety, resistant to rust, and adapted to warmest zones and acidic soils.

A variety selected in El Salvador, and known for very good cup quality in the highest altitudes.

One of the most culturally and genetically important C. arabica coffees in the world, with high quality in Central America. Very high susceptibility to coffee leaf rust, well-adapted to the coldest conditions.

Very high susceptibility to coffee leaf rust. Well-adapted to rainy zones due to late harvest during dry season.

Well-adpated to highest altitude conditions and tolerant of strong winds.