Root Size: Does it matter?

[fait]

And this is the actual plant you tried:


View attachment 9863

Not entirely related to this variety of kava, but that bundle of roots looks very big. Is that a typical size for this variety or a typical size for kava in general? Does age make a difference?

 

[Alia]

Not entirely related to this variety of kava, but that bundle of roots looks very big. Is that a typical size for this variety or a typical size for kava in general? Does age make a difference?

Not entirely related to this variety of kava, but that bundle of roots looks very big. Is that a typical size for this variety or a typical size for kava in general? Does age make a difference?

Do you mean the size of the bundle itself (quantity of lateral roots.stump size) or the diameter of the laterals?
If the ladder- Age and fertilizers and soil drainage are a few of the reasons why a lateral roots can be large.
Here I place a picture of an 'Opihikao lateral root from a recently harvested 5 year old 'awa plant.
Big, but not award winning big.

 

[fait]

Do you mean the size of the bundle itself (quantity of lateral roots.stump size) or the diameter of the laterals?
If the ladder- Age and fertilizers and soil drainage are a few of the reasons why a lateral roots can be large.
Here I place a picture of an 'Opihikao lateral root from a recently harvested 5 year old 'awa plant.
Big, but not award winning big.

I meant the former but that's good to know that one can get bigger lateral roots at an older age. The lateral roots have all the good stuff after all.

 

[kasa_balavu]

I meant the former but that's good to know that one can get bigger lateral roots at an older age. The lateral roots have all the good stuff after all.

There is some debate about whether thicker roots make for a more potent kava. The pithy tissue in the middle of lateral roots are supposedly low in kavalactones, so more of that (as you would get in thicker roots) doesn't add much in terms of kavalactone content. I've never heard of any studies done on this, so who knows whether bigger is really better when it comes to kava roots. Any thoughts on this, @Alia?

 

[TheKavaSociety]

Speaking of large roots.

 

[Alia]

There is some debate about whether thicker roots make for a more potent kava. The pithy tissue in the middle of lateral roots are supposedly low in kavalactones, so more of that (as you would get in thicker roots) doesn't add much in terms of kavalactone content. I've never heard of any studies done on this, so who knows whether bigger is really better when it comes to kava roots. Any thoughts on this, @Alia?

In old Hawaiian lore it is the tiny roots that were the most potent . In my experience however, the larger laterals are (of course) easier to clean and in my experience-- very potent.

 

[fait]

In my experience however, the larger laterals are (of course) easier to clean and in my experience-- very potent.

1. Do some varieties more consistently produce larger roots? I know it was stated above that age and conditions such as fertilizer intake and the environment come into effect, but perhaps some varieties have size caps?
2. When you clean kava roots, are you simply rinsing with running water or do you need to do some kind of scrubbing like you would for, say, potatoes?

 

[Alia]

1. Do some varieties more consistently produce larger roots? I know it was stated above that age and conditions such as fertilizer intake and the environment come into effect, but perhaps some varieties have size caps?
2. When you clean kava roots, are you simply rinsing with running water or do you need to do some kind of scrubbing like you would for, say, potatoes?

I am not aware of any cultivars which would have potentially larger laterals as a condition of genetics, however stout, short, spreading 'awa/kava cultivars will have more stump. We pressure wash roots and stump, so no actual scrubbing but a pressure washer really cleans well.
Some people also clean with a food-grade solution of clorine, after pressure washing.

 

[kasa_balavu]

1. Do some varieties more consistently produce larger roots?

Like @Alia, I'm not aware of any cultivar that has genetically bigger roots. However, cultivar in Tonga is called Fulufulu (aka fu'u), meaning "hairy", because apparently is has a lot more thin and short roots and less thick long ones.

 

[avahZ]

My dirty mind... ugg...

 

[ThePiper]

The age old question is can you tell root size by looking at their branches?

 

[Zaphod]

2. When you clean kava roots, are you simply rinsing with running water or do you need to do some kind of scrubbing like you would for, say, potatoes?

There were some great videos posted earlier (if I can find them) of the whole process, showing pressure washing of the roots and chopping them up and presumably cutting out bad parts.