Excellent information. It's surprising, but also not surprising how often the two are confused with each other. From my perspective it gets mistaken most often by vendors new to the industry that searched for "Kava" on shutterstock.How to tell the difference between the two easily? Check the leaf.
The three main veins must come from the leaf stem and split immediately (1st photo), not part of the way down (2nd photo).
Noble kava leaf - piper methysticum
View attachment 12460
'false kava' leaf - piper auritum
View attachment 12461
#4, 11, 14.Excellent information. It's surprising, but also not surprising how often the two are confused with each other. From my perspective it gets mistaken most often by vendors new to the industry that searched for "Kava" on shutterstock.
Below is an example when you do exactly that, search "kava" on shutterstock.com. I see at least 3 non-kava representations of "kava" on the first result page alone.
You can, and it would be something similar to the taste of root beer or sassafras tea, however it should be known that this piper contains quite a bit of safrole, a carcinogenic, and hepatotoxic substance. This is why the plant is banned for culinary uses in the United States along with Sassafras.If I have 'Kava lie' leaf - Piper Oritum , can I make a drink out of it? or not recommended
If you post a picture here, there will be someone who will be able to identify it, certainly.A kava plant from Hawaii arrived in Israel, how can I tell which variety it is? Are there any experts here who know how to differentiate between the types of kava?
Are there any friends here who make false kava juice and recommend it? Or it is not recommended for drinking but only for seasoning
Unfortunately that's more of the same Piper Auritum
This is not a different "strain" of kava. It's not kava at all. It's a different plant. It has no use similar to kava. It cannot be used as a substitute for kava, just as it can't be used as a substitute for cabbages or coffee.Piper Oritum
This strain is less effective for medical use
Better to use it in the kitchen
Correct me if I'm wrong
Well, one could make a drink of it...but it wouldn't be kava.אז אתה לא עושה מזה משקה?
"מכיוון שזה לא קאווה, לרוב לא מכינים משקה מהצמח הזה. הוא משמש כתבלין במספר מזונות.אז אתה לא עושה מזה משקה?
It's rare. Extremely rare, but yes, Piper methysticum can produce female flowers. Rare enough that if you found one, you better go buy a lottery ticket, because fate is smiling on you. Even knowing that kava might produce female flowers, researchers have yet to ever see any seeds be produced. Through time, kava has lost its ability to naturally reproduce.I read, that Kava can't produce seeds, so they have to make clones?
If so, are there any chances for any flowers Kava plants can produce? If yes: Are there any pictures available of a flowering kava plant?
OK, I have attached what a highly trained PhD Botanist suggests* is "likely" to be a female flower.It's rare. Extremely rare, but yes, Piper methysticum can produce female flowers. Rare enough that if you found one, you better go buy a lottery ticket, because fate is smiling on you. Even knowing that kava might produce female flowers, researchers have yet to ever see any seeds be produced. Through time, kava has lost its ability to naturally reproduce.
@Alia May have pictures of a flowering example. I remember him saying he found one of his plants with a female flower.