Recently I have noticed Coffee bushes spreading rapidly out of backyards into surrounding bushland. With the love Australian’s have for a cup of Coffee and the availability of seedlings to buy, it’s not surprising having your own Coffee tree has become popular.
It’s a great way to save money if you can harvest your own beans, grind and use them. However, the process is time consuming and fiddly and involves soaking and removing the soft outer layer. I presume most people that bought a tree hoping for their own blend have given up after realising what was involved.
This has led to many trees dropping seeds only to germinate close by. So far, they don’t seem to be popping up very far from an original plant, so it’s unlikely the birds are spreading them yet.
Coffee trees are prolific seeders so one tree becomes many in a short time. They move into bushland and outcompete native species. Please reconsider planting a Coffee tree if you can’t collect all the seeds.
More information
www.weed.brisbane.qld.gov.au/weeds/coffee
Michelle Newell
