Real Live Kava Plant

[Ed!]

In the past I've considered growing kava as a house plant until it grows big enough to consume, but it was never more than a passing thought... today for some reason that bug hit me again, and I did a little search. To my surprise I found a retailer who sells them, and they aren't that expensive:http://www.logees.com/kava-kava-piper-methysticum.html

I impulsively ordered a couple, and will respond in this thread when I receive them with photos.

I plan on following this guide for raising the kava:http://kava.guru/getting-started/grow-kava-kava/

I've never seen the site before, but I assume one of you beautiful bastards made it.

Kava has become a lifestyle for me, so this is a pretty neat milestone if I'm able to actually have success growing real live kava.

 

[boxcar beatnik]

I'm sure Chris can give you all kinds of pointers on growing them right.

 

[theGrogfather]

Very cool.
Post some pics when you get them, someone might even be able to identify the cultivar

 

[sɥɐʞɐs]

Ed!!...gotta add that extra exclamation point to show my excitement.
Take a look when you get the plant and make sure it's not false kava (piper auritum)
I guess real kava's leaves have veins that all originate near the stem, but false kava will have veins that branch out down the leaf.

 

[Alia]

Ed!!...gotta add that extra exclamation point to show my excitement.
Take a look when you get the plant and make sure it's not false kava (piper auritum)
I guess real kava's leaves have veins that all originate near the stem, but false kava will have veins that branch out down the leaf.

Good advice, the picture does appear to be a true and real kava plant but it is worth double-checking when @Ed! receives plant or cutting .

 

[Travis]

If you do buy from them they usually have a coupon online if you search for it, I've considered ordering from them in the past, not kava plants though.

 

[Ed!]

Plants came in.

 

[Travis]

Ed, the plants look good, I hope you keep us posted with progress.

The guide mentions using coco coir which I always use to root different plants and it really cuts down on rot issues, but good luck.

 

[Jerome]

Phenomenal!

 

[boxcar beatnik]

@Gourmet Hawaiian Kava

 

[Jimmyricky]

Awesome! I personally love plants also. This is how I got into kava actually! Is there any way of telling if it is noble or not?

 

[Jerome]

Any idea what variety it is?

 

[Alia]

Any idea what variety it is?

The stem part of the photo is a little blurry and the plant is young but right now I'd guess Mahakea. It does not appear to have a dark piko (where stem meets leaf?).
Very good looking young plant though!

 

[Jerome]

Mahakea would be great!

 

[Jerome]

So after reading a bit about the Logees nursery I think I can assume they maintain and reproduce their kava in a heated green house in Connecticut.

A portable greenhouse with a space heater might be an option for kava growers in less than tropical conditions.

 

[FYS]

So after reading a bit about the Logees nursery I think I can assume they maintain and reproduce their kava in a heated green house in Connecticut.

A portable greenhouse with a space heater might be an option for kava growers in less than tropical conditions.

This is good to know. I posted a few questions about growing a while back but I don't think anyone saw it. I've been considering adding a kava plant or two but was worried about growing in my area. I've got a large garden and plenty of land and it would be fine most of the year but the winters are almost certainly too cold.

I thought about possibly transferring to the barn where it is a bit warmer or possibly growing inside full time but don't know how well that would work or if the containers would be large enough. Most of the plants I have seen are pretty large with very spread out roots. I grow tomatoes inside in the fall and winter because I love tomatoes but hate store bought out of season ones but those do fine with 5 gal buckets. I'm also playing around with the idea of possibly doing a kava bonsai but I don't know enough about kava to know if that would work. I have a couple of bonzai already but they are much different than kava.

I am planning on getting a greenhouse put up next spring so if they do indeed grow kava just fine in greenhouses in Connecticut that could be the best option.

 

[Ricardo Piquant]

@Gourmet Hawaiian Kava

I have two plants coming tomorrow. .. I was wondering if when planting these younglings it would be beneficial to plant them deep enough to cover some of the stem. Or just keep the depth even with their current level

 

[Ricardo Piquant]

I got a few from the same place. ..

 

[Jerome]

Beautiful. Anyone identify them yet? I emailed the company but I didn't get a response.

 

[Gardenman]

About a week ago I used the Chat option at Logee's and they stated they get asked that question often, but honestly they did not have any idea as to what variety it was other than it was kava. They said they obtained the mother plant from a farmer and was not informed of the variety. I am very curious too about what variety these are.