Wild Coffee, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
Wild coffee is a Florida native shrub with glossy, deeply veined leaves, small white flowers and red berries birds eat, and it is one of the best shrubs for shade in Southwest Florida. It grows 5 to 8 ft tall under oaks, palms and tall hedges where sun plants fail. It does not like frost or hot afternoon sun.
- Light:
- Part shade to shade; hot afternoon sun can scorch the leaves
- Water:
- Moderate; keep it evenly moist while young, and it handles dry spells once established under tree cover
- Salt:
- Moderate; fine in coastal breezes, not for direct spray
Wild Coffee sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Wild Coffee | 3 Gallon, 7 Gallon, 15 Gallon |
Wild Coffee in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 5 to 8 ft tall and 3 to 5 ft wide
- Light
- Part shade to shade; hot afternoon sun can scorch the leaves
- Water
- Moderate; keep it evenly moist while young, and it handles dry spells once established under tree cover
- Salt tolerance
- Moderate; fine in coastal breezes, not for direct spray
- Cold tolerance
- Frost-tender: leaves burn near 30°F and a hard freeze can cut it back, so plant it under tree cover or beside the house
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 3 to 4 ft on center for a hedge or screen
- Florida native
- Yes
- Botanical name
- Psychotria nervosa
Where Wild Coffee works in a SW Florida yard
Wild coffee works where most shrubs give up: the shade under oaks and palms, along a north wall, or beside a fence that blocks the afternoon sun. Plant it 3 to 4 ft apart for a privacy screen, or mix it into a native understory bed.
Coontie, saw palmetto and Simpson stopper make good company, and the flowers and berries draw butterflies and birds.
- Shady native privacy screen
- Understory under oaks and palms
- Bird and butterfly planting
- Side-yard shade hedge
How our crew plants it
Choose a shaded bed with good drainage, and dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball with its top at grade. Mulch 2 to 3 inches deep, off the stems. Water in, then keep it evenly moist for the first month; Lee and Collier allow extra watering for new plantings.
Our crew plants it, waters it in, and cleans up.
Care after planting
- Keep new plants evenly moist and mulch to hold water in sandy soil, since the roots are shallow.
- Prune lightly in spring to shape it; heavy shearing is not needed.
- Cover young plants on frost nights inland, and plant under a canopy for natural cold protection.
- Feed lightly in spring with a slow-release fertilizer, and skip nitrogen and phosphorus from June 1 to September 30 under the Lee County, Naples and Marco Island ban.
Wild Coffee questions we hear
Can wild coffee grow in full shade in Florida?+
Yes. Wild coffee is an understory native that does best in part to full shade, and it fills in nicely under oaks, palms and tall hedges. Hot afternoon sun can scorch the leaves, so shade it from the west. In deep shade it stays a little more open but healthy.
Is wild coffee native to Florida, and does it help wildlife?+
Yes. Wild coffee is a Florida native. Small white flowers in spring draw butterflies, and the red berries that ripen in summer feed birds. It needs little fertilizer, and it fits native and wildlife plantings well.
Will wild coffee survive a freeze?+
A light frost burns the leaves, and a hard freeze can cut it back, though plants often resprout from the base. It is cold-sensitive, so coastal Lee and Collier are safest. Inland, plant it under tree cover or beside the house and cover young plants on frost nights.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Wild Coffee
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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See it in 3D first
We deliver and plant across Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and about an hour around.