Psychotria loniceroides (Hairy Psychotria)

1 / 3

Psychotria spp.

wild coffees

Rubiaceae

Pantropical; Americas, Africa, Asia, Pacific

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 10–11

Overview

Psychotria spp. is a very large genus, with well over a thousand species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the coffee family (Rubiaceae), spread through tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Most are understorey plants 3-15 ft (0.9-4.6 m) tall, with paired, glossy, oval leaves and prominent leaf veins. Many species carry colonies of symbiotic bacteria in nodules within the leaves. Small tubular flowers, usually white to greenish or cream, are grouped in branched or head-like clusters at the stem tips. The flowers ripen into fleshy berry-like fruits in red, blue-black, white, or orange that are eaten and spread by birds. The genus is found across the Americas, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, mostly in the shaded understorey of moist forest. Some species contain alkaloids; P. viridis is used in parts of Amazonia as a source of dimethyltryptamine. Most species are frost-tender and need warm, humid, shaded conditions, growing poorly in dry or exposed sites.

Native Range

The genus is pantropical, native across the Americas, sub-Saharan Africa, tropical Asia, and the Pacific islands. Species grow chiefly in the shaded, humid understorey of lowland and montane rainforest.

Suggested Uses

Tropical species are grown as understorey shrubs and hedges in frost-free gardens, and several Florida natives such as P. nervosa are used in shaded native plantings for their red fruit and bird value. Compact species are grown as foliage houseplants in containers.

How to Identify

Paired glossy oval leaves with strongly marked veins, often dotted with tiny bacterial leaf nodules visible against the light, are a useful mark of Psychotria spp.. Clusters of small white to greenish tubular flowers at the stem tips give way to fleshy red, white, or blue-black fruits. The opposite leaves with stipules between them place it in the coffee family.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 15'

Width/Spread3' - 10'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowering varies with species and climate and can occur through much of the year in the wet tropics, often peaking in the warm, rainy months. Small white to greenish flowers open in tip clusters and are followed within weeks by colourful fruits. In cooler-margin climates bloom concentrates in the warm season.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

white to greenish or cream

Foliage Description

glossy green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Requires 2-5 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam peat

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Most species grow in part to full shade and in moist, rich, free-draining forest soils high in organic matter. Warm, humid air and steady moisture suit them, and growth slows or stops in cold or dry conditions. The plants are frost-tender and are grown under glass or as houseplants outside the tropics. Watering is regular, keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged. Light feeding through the growing season supports the glossy foliage. Strong direct sun bleaches and scorches the leaves.

Pruning

Stems are tip-pruned after flowering or in spring to keep a bushy shape, as plants branch from below the cut. Older shrubs are thinned of weak and crowded stems to maintain airflow in humid conditions.

Pruning Schedule

early spring