Family: Rubiaceae

Coffea liberica (Liberian coffee) is a tall evergreen coffee tree in the Rubiaceae family, native to western and central Africa (from Liberia through Uganda and Angola). It produces some of the largest coffee cherries and beans among commercial Coffea species, with a distinctive asymmetric, “hook-shaped” bean and bold, full-bodied flavor that’s appreciated in some specialty coffee traditions. While much less common globally than Arabica and Robusta, Liberica is grown in tropical regions with warm, humid climates and fertile soils for local coffee production, and has been used historically both for beverage coffee and as a source of genetic traits (such as pest and disease resistance) in coffee breeding.

In Hawaiʻi, Coffea liberica has been introduced and is considered naturalized on islands including Oʻahu (i.e., established outside cultivation). While it doesn’t currently have a documented history of causing the kind of ecological harm associated with well-known invasive weeds, it is non-native and there is still uncertainty about whether it could impact native plant communities or ecosystems if it spreads more widely. Further evaluation and monitoring are needed to determine its potential ecological risks in Hawaii’s unique environments.

High Risk Traits:

• Naturalized beyond native range
  
• Repeated human introductions
  
• Tolerates varied soils
  
• Shade tolerant
  
• Produces viable seeds
  
• Naturally hybridizes
  
• Bird-dispersed seeds
  
• Seeds survive gut passage
  
• Host for pests & pathogens

Low Risk Traits:

• No spines/allelopathy/parasitism
  
• Non-toxic to humans/animals
  
• Self-incompatible
  
• No vegetative reproduction
  
• Slow maturity (4–5 years)
  
• Low seed production
  
• No persistent seed bank