The coffee plant is a woody perennial evergreen that belongs to the Rubiaceae family. Two main species are cultivated today. Coffea arabica known as Arabica coffee accounts for 75-80% of the world's production. Coffea canephora, known as Robusta coffee, is more resilient plant than the Arabica shrubs, but produces an inferior tasting beverage. The coffee plant can grow to heights of 10 meters if not pruned, but producing countries maintain coffee at three meters to ease picking. Each hectare of coffee produces 86 lbs of oxygen per day, which is about half the production of the same area in a rain forest.

Three to four years after the coffee is planted, sweetly smelling flowers grow in clusters in the axils of the leaves. Fruit is produced only in the new tissue. The Arabica species is self-pollinating, whereas the Robusta species depends on cross pollination. About 6-8 weeks after the flowers are fertilized, cell division occurs and the fruit remains as a pin head for a period that is dependent upon the climate.

The root system can extend 20-25 km in total length (Malavolta, 195) and the absorbing surface of a tree ranges from 400 to 500 m2 (Nutman). There are main vertical roots, tap roots, and lateral roots which grow parallel to the ground. The tap roots extend no further than 30-45 cm below the soil surface. Four to eight axial roots may be encountered which often originate horizontally but point downward. The lateral roots can extend 2 m from the trunk. About 80-90% of the feeder root is in the first 20 cm of soil and is 60-90 cm away from the trunk of the tree (Malavolta, 195-196). However Nutman, states that the greatest root concentration is in the 30 to 60 cm depth. The roots systems are heavily affected by the type of soil and the mineral content of the soil. To be thick and strong the root system needs an extensive supply of nitrogen, calcium and magnesium.