Maroon berries for birds

Shiny-leaved wild coffee (Psychotria nervosa) is a beautiful hammock plant that deserves a place in many landscapes.  You can see wild coffee full of its bird-attracting maroon fruits at the Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area and in many of the natural areas purchased for preservation by Indian River County.

Its deeply-veined, glossy opposite leaves give rise to its species name, nervosa, and resemble the leaves of the gardenia.  Both gardenia and wild coffee are members of the Rubiaceae, or madder, family, as is the coffee of commerce.  Unlike gardenia flowers, wild coffee flowers are small and not especially fragrant to you and me.  Nonetheless, insects, including our state butterfly, the zebra longwing, nectar upon its flowers in the spring and summer.

During the fall, birds, squirrels, and other small creatures consume its fleshy fruits.  Each fruit contains a single seed, which, after roasting, can be brewed to make a vile-tasting beverage that causes bad headaches.  The generic name, Psychotria, means ‘life’ and refers to the vivifying properties of some of the members of this genus.

As a landscape plant, wild coffee usually grows to about six feet tall.  Found in hammocks from the backside of the beach dune and throughout our county, this tropical plants thrives best in partial shade and is an excellent choice for under live oak trees.  Well-adapted, this native plant rarely is chewed upon by insect pests, though leaf rollers on occasion will roll up a few of its leaves.  Add wild coffee to your landscape for the birds and butterflies and for its beauty.