---
type: Object
title: Arabica
description: The dominant commercial coffee species (Coffea arabica) — delicate and
  disease-prone, but prized for a sweeter, more complex flavor.
aliases:
- Coffea arabica
tags:
- coffee
- species
- botany
resource: raw/coffee-guide.md
timestamp: '2026-07-16T14:46:09Z'
citadel_version: 0.3.0
---

Arabica is the common name for *Coffea arabica*.[^s1] It is the dominant species in the global [coffee](coffee.md) market, supplying roughly 60 to 70 percent of world production.[^s2] It is generally grown at higher altitudes, where cooler temperatures slow the maturation of the cherry and allow more complex sugars and aromatic compounds to develop; the result is a cup typically regarded as sweeter, more nuanced, and more layered in flavor, often carrying notes described as floral, fruity, or chocolate-like.[^s2]

Arabica plants are comparatively delicate: sensitive to temperature swings, vulnerable to pests, and especially susceptible to coffee leaf rust, a fungal disease that has historically devastated entire growing regions.[^s2] Compared with [Robusta](robusta.md), Arabica has the lower yield per plant and the lower baseline caffeine content of the two commercial species.[^s3]

## See also
- [Coffee](coffee.md)
- [Robusta](robusta.md)
- [Caffeine](../concepts/caffeine.md)

## Sources
[^s1]: [raw/coffee-guide.md](../../raw/coffee-guide.md), line 9 — species name and trade name (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s2]: [raw/coffee-guide.md](../../raw/coffee-guide.md), line 11 — Arabica's production share, growing conditions, flavor, and disease susceptibility (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s3]: [raw/coffee-guide.md](../../raw/coffee-guide.md), lines 17-24 — Arabica vs. Robusta comparison table (ingested 2026-07-16)
