Liberica and excelsa
Two large-fruited African coffee trees, long treated as one species. Planted in Asia after leaf rust in the late 19th century, they are now a tiny but growing crop valued for heat and drought tolerance.
Across the chain: History
Contents
In brief
- A 2025 genomic study splits liberica coffee into three species, *Coffea liberica* (liberica), *C. dewevrei* (excelsa) and *C. klainei*; earlier works treated excelsa as a variety.1,2
- The coffee industry turned to liberica against leaf rust in about 1875–1900, then to robusta from the early 1900s.2
- Global production of liberica and excelsa together is probably below 1,000 tonnes, about 0.01% of world coffee exports (2025 estimate).1
- Excelsa is valued for cropping under higher temperatures and longer dry spells than robusta, and Ugandan farmers have been switching to it.1,2
- Liberica fruits have a 4–9.5 mm pulp, against 2–3.5 mm in excelsa, which makes liberica harder to process.1,2
Two coffees from one old name#
Most coffee comes from two species, arabica (Coffea arabica) and robusta (C. canephora).1 Liberica and excelsa are two further coffee trees from the African lowlands. Until 2025 most botanists treated them as one species, C. liberica.2,1
A 2025 study of their genomes, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds treats them as separate species. Liberica keeps the name C. liberica. Excelsa becomes C. dewevrei.1 A third, little-known species, C. klainei, was split off at the same time.1
Liberica is native to Upper West Africa, from Sierra Leone and Liberia to Nigeria. Excelsa is native to Central Africa, from Cameroon to South Sudan and Uganda.1 In the trade, the name “excelsa” is often given to small-seeded liberica, especially in Asia.2 So a coffee sold as excelsa is not always C. dewevrei.
Trees with large fruit#
Unlike arabica and robusta, excelsa grows into a medium-sized tree, around 10 m or more in Uganda.2 Its leaves are large: 29.5 cm long and 14 cm wide on average. Liberica leaves average 22.8 × 8.2 cm.1
Liberica fruits are large. They measure up to 3.4 cm long, with a pulp (the fleshy layer under the skin) 4–9.5 mm thick.1 Excelsa fruits are smaller, with a thinner pulp and smaller seeds. They grow in tight clusters along the branches.1,2
Data table
| mm | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit length, liberica | 18–34 mm | 1 |
| Fruit length, excelsa | 12–25 mm | 1 |
| Fruit width, liberica | 17–33 mm | 1 |
| Fruit width, excelsa | 8–21 mm | 1 |
| Pulp thickness, liberica | 4–9.5 mm | 1 |
| Pulp thickness, excelsa | 2–3.5 mm | 1 |
| Seed length, liberica | 9.5–18.3 mm | 1 |
| Seed length, excelsa | 7.7–11.3 mm | 1 |
The fruits also take longer to ripen. In Uganda, excelsa fruit develops for longer than arabica and robusta fruit. Its main harvest, from January to April, does not overlap with theirs.2
From rescue crop to niche#
In the late 19th century, coffee leaf rust devastated arabica growing. The coffee industry turned to liberica from about 1875 to 1900, then to robusta from the early 1900s.2 A 2026 study of liberica in Indonesia dates its wide spread to the 1870s, as an answer to the rust.3 According to a 2000 plant handbook, liberica also proved susceptible to leaf rust there, and robusta replaced it.6
Liberica stayed in South-East Asia. It is grown in the lowlands of Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia.1 In the Philippines, liberica is known locally as barako.7
Excelsa has a newer story. In lowland Uganda, farmers have shifted to it, perhaps since at least the 1980s. The 2023 review links this to disease, pests and drought in robusta.2 A similar increase is reported in South Sudan.2 As of 2025, liberica is seeing a renaissance in Malaysia, Indonesia and Fiji, and attention on excelsa centres on Uganda, South Sudan and Guinea.1
Heat and drought#
According to the 2025 study, excelsa can crop under higher temperatures and longer dry spells than robusta.1 In Uganda, the places where it is recorded have a modelled mean annual temperature of 24.4 °C. Robusta records there average 21.8 °C.2 The review says excelsa may be more heat tolerant than robusta, but field trials are needed.2 Liberica is farmed mostly in warm, wet lowlands, at 10–500 m.1
Data table
| Point | °C | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arabica, wild and cultivated (2023 review) | 18–22 | 18–22 | 2 |
| Robusta, modelled at Ugandan records (2023 review) | 21.8 | 21.8 | 2 |
| Excelsa, modelled at Ugandan records (2023 review) | 24.4 | 24.4 | 2 |
| Liberica, typical cultivation (2025 study) | 24–27 | 24–27 | 1 |
According to the 2025 study, liberica cultivation is increasing as climate change puts pressure on arabica and robusta. Excelsa production in India is rising for the same reason.1 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, runs a research project on excelsa in Uganda with Ugandan partners.8
Processing and the cup#
Liberica fruits are hard to pulp (strip of skin and pulp), because they are large and have a hard skin.6 Excelsa can be processed with standard procedures. Its outturn, the weight of clean coffee from a given weight of fruit, is much better.2 A 2023 review gives 7 kg of fresh fruit for 1 kg of clean coffee in Uganda.2
No controlled sensory study of the two species was opened for this entry. The sources describe their flavour in general terms only. A 2025 study says liberica and excelsa have contrasting flavour profiles.1 A 2023 review describes Ugandan and South Sudanese excelsa as smooth, with low to medium acidity and low bitterness.2 An older handbook describes liberica as more bitter than arabica and robusta.6
From two varieties to three species#
The species name carries the author citation C. liberica Hiern.4 Until 2025 the consensus of taxonomic study was one species with two botanical varieties, var. liberica and var. dewevrei.2,1 An alternative view treated C. liberica as one species with no subdivisions.1
The 2025 study combined genome-wide data, morphology and cleaned distribution records. It supports three species: C. liberica, C. dewevrei and C. klainei. C. dewevrei and C. klainei were reinstated as older names, which raised the count of known Coffea species from 131 to 133.1 The same group published a perspective on liberica as a crop in 2022, “The re-emergence of Liberica coffee as a major crop plant”, in Nature Plants.8 This entry did not open that paper; facts from it are cited through the 2023 review that summarises it.
The “excelsa” name causes confusion in trade. A 2023 review restricts it to plants of var. dewevrei from eastern Cameroon, the Central African Republic, eastern DR Congo and western Uganda. It notes that it is often applied to small- to medium-seeded liberica, particularly in Asia.2 In Uganda, excelsa is mostly exported as robusta or mixed with it, partly because it is taken for a large-leaved robusta.2
The same review records a historical case of the confusion: field trials of “excelsa” in Uganda in 1915 and 1916 gave poor yields. The material, imported from Java in 1914, was liberica, judging by its large seeds.2
Reference values#
| Parameter | C. liberica (liberica) | C. dewevrei (excelsa) |
|---|---|---|
| Native range | Upper West Africa1 | Central Africa to South Sudan and Uganda1 |
| Leaf, length × width (mean) | 16.7–30.2 × 5.6–10.4 cm (22.8 × 8.2 cm)1 | 22.4–35.9 × 10–18 cm (29.5 × 14 cm)1 |
| Flowers per leaf axil | (2–)4–18(–24)1 | (4–)6–40(–48)1 |
| Corolla lobes (most frequent) | 6–9(–12) (7)1 | 5(–6) (5)1 |
| Fruit, length × width | (1.5–)1.8–3.4 × 1.7–3.3 cm1 | 1.2–2.5 × 0.8–2.1 cm1 |
| Pulp (mesocarp) thickness | 4–9.5 mm1 | 2–3.5 mm1 |
| Parchment (endocarp) thickness (mean) | 0.36–0.77 mm (0.57 mm)1 | 0.22–0.41 mm (0.31 mm)1 |
| Seed, length × width (mean) | 9.5–18.3 × 6.5–12 mm (12.6 × 8.4 mm)1 | 7.7–11.3 × 5.4–8 mm (9.3 × 6.6 mm)1 |
| Tree height | – | Around 10 m or more (Uganda)2 |
| Elevation | Mostly 10–500 m in cultivation1 | 680–1,200 m observed in Uganda2 |
| Mean annual temperature | e.g. 24–27 °C in cultivation1 | 24.4 °C, modelled for recorded locations in Uganda (range 23.5–25.2 °C)2 |
| Mean annual precipitation | e.g. 2,000–4,000 mm in cultivation1 | Not established; drought tolerance from field observations1 |
| Harvest | – | January–April (Uganda)2 |
| Yield, clean coffee | – | 877 kg/ha (204 trees/ha) to 3,440 kg/ha (400 trees/ha), calculated from farmer-reported fruit yields per tree and a 7:1 outturn; rain-fed, low input (Uganda)2 |
| Red List | Least Concern (as cited in 2025); reassessment as Vulnerable suggested (2025)1 | Least Concern by the 2025 study’s own assessment1 |
Morphology from Table 1 of the 2025 study, which also lists C. klainei.1 A dash means no value was found in the sources opened for this entry.
Production as of 2026#
Online sources often state that liberica and excelsa supply 1–2% of world coffee. The 2025 study calls this incorrect: those shares date from the late 19th century, when C. liberica stood with arabica as the second most important coffee of commerce.1 Its authors put present production of the two species at probably less than 1,000 tonnes. Against about 10 million tonnes of arabica and robusta exported in 2024, that is about 0.01% of world exports.1 No newer global estimate was found for this entry as of October 2026.
Excelsa production is rising in India, and in Vietnam and Indonesia, where it supplements robusta.1 In Uganda, a separate market for excelsa did not exist in 2023.2
Climate tolerance in detail#
Field observations suggest that C. dewevrei has considerable drought tolerance, particularly compared with C. canephora. Its precipitation needs in cultivation have not been established in trials.1 The 2023 review describes excelsa as more heat tolerant than wild and cultivated arabica, which grows at a mean annual temperature of 18–22 °C. It adds that its own climate analysis does not support such observations with confidence.2 Excelsa has replaced robusta in some areas of Uganda, probably as a result of climate change.1
Excelsa also yields more than liberica, because each tree bears more fruit. Its thinner pulp and parchment improve the outturn and the profitability of the harvest compared with liberica.1
Diseases and breeding#
According to a 2017 textbook chapter, C. liberica was planted less than C. canephora because of its sensitivity to Fusarium xylarioides, the cause of coffee wilt disease.4 Coffee wilt disease was first reported on excelsa (var. dewevrei) in the Central African Republic in 1927. It later caused widespread damage to liberica and robusta across large areas of tropical Africa.2 As of 2023, no coffee wilt disease had been reported on excelsa in Uganda, but its level of resistance still needs research.2
According to the 2000 plant handbook, liberica is susceptible to leaf rust, though much less so than the other coffees.6 Its genes have served arabica breeding. In Indonesia, crosses of liberica with arabica gave tetraploid and octoploid hybrids, notably “Kalimas” and “Kawisari”, with a high degree of leaf rust resistance. In India, such hybrids showed good yield potential and rust resistance.2 Grafting results differ by study (see Contested).5,2
Conservation status#
According to the 2025 study, the IUCN Red List assesses C. liberica as Least Concern, in an assessment that reports natural occurrence in 17 countries. The study suggests that the narrower C. liberica, native to five countries, may warrant reassessment as Vulnerable. By its own assessment, C. dewevrei, with an extent of occurrence of 2,464,990 km² and an area of occupancy of 456 km², falls into Least Concern.1 In Uganda, a draft national assessment in 2023 placed excelsa as Endangered.2
The index lists every accepted coffee species with its native range and Red List category. Search for “liberica” or “dewevrei”, or filter by region.
Coffee species index
All 133 accepted coffee species: where each grows wild and how threatened it is. Search a name or a country, filter by region and Red List category.
Extinction risk (IUCN Red List)
133 accepted species in Plants of the World Online (Kew), accessed 12 October 2026; native regions grouped by us. The hybrid C. ×heterocalyx is not counted. Red List categories: IUCN Red List version 2026-1 via GBIF (C. liberica checked on the IUCN Red List website, 12 October 2026: Least Concern); 2 names without a clean match are shown as “Not matched”.
Open questions#
- Precipitation needs of excelsa. Its drought tolerance rests on field observations; trials of its water needs are still required.1
- Coffee wilt resistance in excelsa. No disease reports from Uganda as of 2023, but its level of resistance still needs research.2
- Flavour of the two species. No controlled sensory comparison of C. liberica and C. dewevrei was opened for this entry; published descriptions are general.1,2
Key studies#
Davis et al., 2025 – Liberica is three species. Combines genome-wide data, leaf, flower, fruit and seed measurements and cleaned distribution records to separate liberica, excelsa and C. klainei. Re-estimates world production of liberica and excelsa at under 1,000 tonnes and suggests new Red List categories.
Davis et al., 2023 – Uganda’s indigenous coffee resources. Reviews the wild coffee species of Uganda, including excelsa, with their distribution, climate, uses and conservation status. Documents the farmer-led shift from robusta to excelsa and its reasons.
Faronny et al., 2026 – Liberoid coffee in Sumatra and Java. Measures the variation in plant and fruit traits of liberica and excelsa across landscapes in Indonesia, including lowland peat soils. Places their introduction in the colonial response to leaf rust.
- Species or varieties: a 2023 review describes the consensus of taxonomic study as one species, *C. liberica*, with two varieties, var. *liberica* and var. *dewevrei*2; a 2025 genomic study supports three species, *C. liberica*, *C. dewevrei* and *C. klainei*.1
- Liberica and excelsa as rootstocks: a 2001 grafting study, as summarised in 2017, found low compatibility with arabica scions and smaller beans with less aroma5; a 2023 review reports *C. liberica* in the broad sense in use as a rootstock for arabica in Hawaii, for nematode resistance, yield and survival.2
Coffearium (2026). Liberica and excelsa. Coffearium – The open coffee compendium. Retrieved 22 October 2026, from https://coffearium.org/entries/liberica-and-excelsa/
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author = {{Coffearium}},
title = {{Liberica and excelsa}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {Coffearium -- The open coffee compendium},
url = {https://coffearium.org/entries/liberica-and-excelsa/},
urldate = {2026-10-22},
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}Entries are updated when the evidence changes; the retrieval date tells your readers which version you used.
Sources
- ADavis, A. P.; Shepherd-Clowes, A.; Cheek, M.; Moat, J.; Luo, D. W.; Kiwuka, C.; Kalema, J.; Tchiengué, B.; Viruel, J. (2025). Genomic data define species delimitation in Liberica coffee with implications for crop development and conservation. Nature Plants 11, 1729–1738. doi:10.1038/s41477-025-02073-y · other copies
- ADavis, A. P.; Kiwuka, C.; Faruk, A.; Mulumba, J.; Kalema, J. (2023). A review of the indigenous coffee resources of Uganda and their potential for coffee sector sustainability and development. Frontiers in Plant Science 13, 1057317. doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.1057317 · other copies
- AFaronny, D. I.; Rahma, M. J.; Pradhana, A.; Nurrofik, A.; Sunarharum, W. B.; Hakim, L.; Soemarno; Nillian, E.; Mahatmanto, T. (2026). Phenotypic Variability of Liberoid Coffee (C. liberica and C. dewevrei) Across Sumatera and Javanese Landscapes: Foundational Insights for Coffee-based Agroforestry. Tropical Life Sciences Research (early view, 26 August 2026).
- BHerrera, J. C.; Lambot, C. (2017). The Coffee Tree – Genetic Diversity and Origin. In: Folmer, B. (ed.), The Craft and Science of Coffee, Academic Press, ch. 1, pp. 1–16. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-803520-7.00001-3 · other copies
- BLambot, C.; Herrera, J. C.; Bertrand, B.; Sadeghian, S.; Benavides, P.; Gaitán, A. (2017). Cultivating Coffee Quality – Terroir and Agro-Ecosystem. In: Folmer, B. (ed.), The Craft and Science of Coffee, Academic Press, ch. 2, pp. 17–49. doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-803520-7.00002-5 · other copies
- BSosef, M. S. M.; Boer, E. (2000). Coffea liberica Bull ex Hiern. In: van der Vossen, H. A. M.; Wessel, M. (eds), Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 16: Stimulants, PROSEA Foundation, Bogor (PROSEA database record).
- BPhilippine Coffee Board Inc. Our coffee heritage. Philippine Coffee Board Inc..
- BRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew Excelsa and Liberica coffee development. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (project page).
Tier A · authoritative · B · trade and expert · C · general. Supporting quotes for every source are in the data version of this entry. If a publisher’s site refuses access, try the doi link or “other copies”.
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