Hawaii Coffee Plant Guide
Coffee
Learn about coffee in Hawaii, from its 1823 arrival on Oahu to the farms that now grow coffee across the islands. The plant produces white “Hawaiian snow” flowers and red fruit that hold the beans used for Hawaii coffee.
Coffee Overview
Coffee was first brought to Hawaii in 1823 and planted in Manoa Valley on the island of Oahu. Today, Hawaii coffee is grown on Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Molokai and the Big Island. The Big Island has more than 600 coffee farms, most of them small family farms.
The Big Island's Kona coffee belt is world-famous for growing premium Kona coffee. It grows especially well in the Kona region because it gets afternoon clouds. The coffee plant likes being protected from intense sunlight. In Hawaii, the plant's white flowers are called “Hawaiian snow.”
