Kratom is a tropical evergreen plant that is native to many Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and Myanmar. Its Scientific name is Mitragyna speciosa. Kratom is a member of the Coffee Plant Family and has several street names such as Thang, Kakuam, Thom, Ketum, and Biak. Pieter Korthals (A Dutch Colonial Botanist) was the first person who identified Kratom and named it Stephegyne speciosa, which was reclassified and renamed several times. George Darby Haviland proposed the modern scientific name of Kratom in 1859. In the countries where Kratom is popular, it has been used as a natural recreational drug to treat various conditions for centuries. The native people of these countries started using Kratom in herbal medicines in starting years of the 19th century. Traditionally People used to chew the Kratom leaves to obtain their benefits. They also dried the Kratom leaves and then ground them into fine powder to bring them into an ingestible form.
Kratom is now an increasingly popular recreational drug in the United States of America. Its leaves and extract are excessively used as a stimulant and a sedative. The benefits of Kratom are associated with its two major compounds that are Mitragynine and 7-a-hydroxymitragynine. These two compounds can interact with opioid receptors in the brain.
Kratom plant is best grown in environments where the climate conditions are hot and highly humid. That’s why it mainly grows in the jungles of Southeast Asian Countries. Kratom plants are harvested from the start of the late summer season through early autumn because maximum yield and potency can be obtained at these times. Kratom can be cultivated at home by providing the optimal environmental conditions, but it’s best to trust a professional company such as Beverly Hills Kratom Associations.
Kratom Plants are difficult to grow in the open air because they need a tropical climate with natural, rich soil and excessive water. The leaves cannot be used until the plant is more than one year old. Once the harvest season occurs, Kratom leaves can be dried and ground into the powder for personal consumption.
Mitragyna speciosa (Kratom)belongs to the genus Mitragyna that can grow up to 25 meters at its peak. The diameter of Kratom’s trunk is around 0.9 meters. The shape of the trunk is straight with a smooth and grey outer bark. Kratom leaves have a dark green color with the size in the range of 14-20 cm in length and 7-12 cm in width with an ovate-acuminate shape. Kratom flowers have a deep yellow glowing color, and they grow in clusters (each cluster contains three flowers). They grow at the ends of the branches.
Kratom is a subject of interest for scientists nowadays. Research is underway to find more about its properties, benefits, and beneficial aspects. Researchers believe that it’s a plant that has a vital essence of life.