Are Coffee Cherries Real Cherries? Unpacking the Botanical Truth

November 1, 2025 •

2 min read

Over 2 billion cups of coffee are consumed daily, yet many people don't know the surprising truth about its fruity origin. So, are coffee cherries real cherries? The short answer is no, despite their shared name and resemblance.

Quick Summary

Coffee cherries are the stone fruit of the Coffea plant, a member of the Rubiaceae family. They are not related to true cherries, which come from the Rosaceae family. The coffee 'bean' is actually the cherry's seed.

Key Points

Botanical Differences: Coffee cherries belong to the Rubiaceae family, while real cherries are from the Rosaceae family.
Not a True Cherry: Despite the name, coffee cherries are not botanically related to regular cherries.
The 'Bean' is a Seed: What we call a coffee bean is actually the seed of the coffee fruit, a stone fruit or drupe.
Edible but Different: The pulp of a coffee cherry is edible and has a slightly sweet flavor, but it has very little flesh compared to true cherries.
Processing and Use: While typically discarded, the fruit pulp and skin can be used to make cascara, a fruity, tea-like beverage.
Flavor is Influenced by Processing: The way the coffee cherry is processed (e.g., dry, wet) significantly influences the final flavor profile of the roasted bean.

The Botanical Difference: Apples and Oranges

Botanically, coffee cherries and true cherries are unrelated, belonging to different plant families. Coffee cherries are the fruit of the Coffea plant in the Rubiaceae family, which also includes gardenias. True cherries come from the Prunus genus within the Rosaceae family, which contains other stone fruits like peaches and plums.

Both are classified as drupes or stone fruits because they contain a single seed. However, their similarities end there; their common name comes from a superficial resemblance in color and size.

Anatomy of a Coffee Cherry

A coffee cherry has several distinct layers surrounding the seeds, which are the 'beans'. These include the outer skin (exocarp), a thin pulp (mesocarp), a slimy layer (parenchyma/mucilage), a paper-like layer (endocarp/'parchment'), the silver skin (spermoderm), and typically two seeds (the 'coffee beans'). A single, rounded seed is known as a peaberry.

The Journey from Fruit to Brew

The processing of coffee cherries is vital for coffee production, typically focusing on extracting the seeds. Various methods are used, influencing the final flavor. Common methods include the dry process (sun-drying the whole fruit), the wet process (removing pulp before fermentation), and the honey process (leaving some mucilage during drying).

Comparison Table: Coffee Cherries vs. Real Cherries

A comparison highlights key differences:


Feature	Coffee Cherries (Coffea)	Real Cherries (Prunus)
Botanical Family	Rubiaceae	Rosaceae
Fruit Type	Stone fruit (drupe) with two seeds (pits)	Stone fruit (drupe) with a single pit
Primary Purpose	To produce coffee beans (the seeds)	Eaten fresh, cooked, or processed as fruit
Flesh (Mesocarp)	Thin, sweet, with limited edible pulp	Thick, juicy, and highly prized for flavor
Flavor Profile	Sweet, melon or red currant notes in the pulp	A range from tart to sweet and rich

Are They Edible? The Taste and Nutritional Profile

Coffee cherry pulp is edible and used for cascara, a tea from the dried skins. The fruit pulp is rich in antioxidants. However, due to little flesh, they aren't typically eaten raw like true cherries.

Conclusion: A Name, Not a Family

Despite the name, coffee cherries are not botanically 'real cherries'. They are the fruit of a different plant family, with unique anatomy and purpose. The coffee 'bean' is the seed, and the rest is often a byproduct of creating the popular beverage. This stone fruit highlights that a name doesn't always reflect botanical reality.

For more on coffee cultivation, explore {Link: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffea_arabica}.

Frequently Asked Questions

Coffee cherries are the fruit of the Coffea plant, belonging to the Rubiaceae family. True cherries, in contrast, are the fruit of the Prunus genus, which is part of the Rosaceae family.

Yes, a coffee bean is technically a seed. It is the pit or seed found inside the coffee fruit, which is often called a coffee cherry.

Yes, coffee cherries are edible. The pulp is slightly sweet and has been compared to flavors like watermelon or red currant, though it has little flesh.

The flavor of the fruit pulp is mildly sweet and distinct from roasted coffee. People often describe the taste as reminiscent of a mix of fruits like watermelon, red currant, or apricot.

Cascara is a tea-like beverage made from the dried skins, or husks, of coffee cherries. It has a light, fruity, and subtly sweet flavor and contains a mild amount of caffeine.

The term 'coffee cherry' is a common name derived from the fruit's resemblance in size and color to true cherries when it ripens.

The processing method, which involves removing the cherry layers, has a significant impact on the final flavor. Natural-processed coffees tend to be sweeter and fruitier, as the beans absorb more flavor from the fruit during drying.