ARABICA

Arabica coffee beans are believed to be the first species of coffee to have been cultivated. It is more acidic, less bitter, and less highly caffeinated than the robusta bean resulting in a smoother, sweeter drink with a more nuanced flavour than other coffee types, with notes of nuts, chocolate, fruit, and caramel.

Plants grow between 30 and 39 feet tall, and have an open branching system; the leaves are opposite, simple elliptic-ovate to oblong and are between 2.5 to 4.5 inches long and broad, glossy dark green in colour. The flowers are white and grow in axillary clusters with the seeds contained in a drupe (also referred to as "cherry") and are bright red to purple when mature with each cluster typically containing two seeds. These are the coffee beans.

The plants take approximately seven years to mature fully, and grow best in areas that get 36 to 48 inches of rain, evenly distributed throughout the year. The best conditions are at an altitude between 4,300 and 4,900 ft. The plant can tolerate low temperatures, but not frost, and it does best with an average temperature between 15 and 24 °C and located in light shady areas.

This makes Mount Elgon the perfect location to grow the arabica coffee crop.