Knowledge · plant
Ethiopian Heirloom (Landraces)
Coffea arabica (indigenous landraces)
1 min read
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Coffea arabica (indigenous landraces)
- Origin
- Ethiopia, the plant's centre of origin
- Flavor profile
- Floral, citric, tea-like; immense variation
- Aroma notes
- Jasmine, bergamot, stone fruit
- Key characteristic
- Genetically diverse populations, not stabilised cultivars
- Genetic importance
- Most important genetic reservoir for the species
- Notable use
- Global breeding for disease resistance and climate
- Beans we stock
- 45 Ethiopian Heirloom (Landraces) coffees
‘Heirloom’ is the catch-all trade term for the thousands of indigenous Arabica landraces grown in Ethiopia, the plant's centre of origin. Rather than named, stabilised cultivars, these are genetically diverse populations — some collected and coded by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) — that account for the floral, tea-like complexity associated with Ethiopian coffee. This wild diversity is the single most important genetic reservoir for the species and underpins global breeding for disease resistance and climate resilience.
At a glance
- Scientific name: Coffea arabica (indigenous landraces)
- Flavor: Floral, citric, tea-like; immense variation between selections.
- Aroma: Jasmine, bergamot, stone fruit.
- Disease resistance: Variable; broad in-field genetic diversity.
- Cup potential: Very high
Coffees demonstrating this
From our catalog of in-stock beans.
See also