The coffee cherry is biologically structured to develop two beans, yet natural variation occurs in Coffea arabica, including peaberries (single-bean cherries) and, in rare cases, three-bean cherries. These differences originate from botanical and embryological processes involving ovary structure, ovule development, and endosperm formation.
This article provides a clear scientific explanation of why these variations occur, their genetic and agronomic drivers, and offers realistic percentage estimates for Colombian coffee systems. Understanding this variability helps improve physical quality assessment, post-harvest classification, and technical storytelling grounded in the true biology of the coffee plant.
