blooming is the time when coffee plants bloom with white flowers which last for about 3–4 days (termed "evanescent" period) before they mature into seeds. when coffee plantations are in full bloom it is a delightful sight to watch. the time period between blooming and maturing of the fruit varies appreciably with the variety and the climate; for the "arabica", it is about seven months, and for the "robusta", about nine months. the fruit is gathered by hand when it is fully ripe and red-purple in colour.