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Growing Kava: Where to Buy?

schamberlain

Kava Curious
Hi all,
I wanted to give growing kava a shot, see if my green thumb can handle it! I know people have mentioned in the past that they found vendors on Ebay, but I can't seem to find live plants there. Does anyone know a good source/ a place they have purchased kava plants from before? Any help is much appreciated, thanks!
 

Bradley666

Kava Enthusiast
I was also wondering this! I have seen them for sale from few botanical vendors using google search...but there rarely
in stock..I would love to get a nice one to grow out as well! :)
Also watch out for ebay, although I buy and shop for tons of stuff there, literately... buying "kava" anything from ebay can
be a gamble! Iv heard few people mention that most vendors on ebay sell kava that's not realy what its described as...
And I would be weary of buying kava plant there because theres so many different types of pepper plants that someone could possibly pass on as a true kava plant...I guess more research on our part is needed! lol
I have a nice idea, any vendors want to sell live kava plants? :D lol
Im guessing everyone here would buy them!
 

Poivrier

methystified
It is very difficult to find live kava plants online ! Some of the plants sold on US sites are Piper auritum (leaves smell like root beer) and I was told that Isa (a non-noble, tudey cultivar) is propagated in some mainland nurseries as well...
There is a nursery in Hawaii that send tropical plants to the mainland (USA only) and sometimes they have kava (different cultivars, the Isa too lol)...
I hope that it is ok to give the link:
http://www.hawaiiantropicalplants.com
 

Bradley666

Kava Enthusiast
It looks promising,
I would love a live Mo'i plant! Looks like they only get a few..maybe I should email and get some details lol...
 

Gourmet Hawaiian Kava

Kava Expert
Kava Vendor
Be aware that some of the kava plants for sale on ebay out of Florida is not real kava. Some here on the forums have bought it and it has grown and I can tell that it is not real kava. There is a guy that sells on ebay from here on the Big Island of Hawaii and he has real kava and not Isa, it is real Hawaiian kava.
Aloha.

Chris
 
This is quite an old thread, but I will dig it up instead of creating new one.
Can someone point me to a person who sells live plants of Kava?? I would like to buy and grow some on my own. Moi or Nene would be great.
 

Gourmet Hawaiian Kava

Kava Expert
Kava Vendor
This is quite an old thread, but I will dig it up instead of creating new one.
Can someone point me to a person who sells live plants of Kava?? I would like to buy and grow some on my own. Moi or Nene would be great.
Hi, if your in Hawaii I can help you but I do not ship live plants out of Hawaii. Let me know if I can help. Aloha.

Chris
 
Thanks for your reply, but I don't live in Hawai... I'd like the plants to be shipped. Maybe you can point me to someone who can help?

Does it have to be a plant, or can it be a seed or a root?
 

Alia

'Awa Grower/Collector
Thanks for your reply, but I don't live in Hawai... I'd like the plants to be shipped. Maybe you can point me to someone who can help?

Does it have to be a plant, or can it be a seed or a root?
Kava does not produce seed. It would have to be a cutting/node but I do not know of anyone, anymore, who ships.
But if you ever come here you can contact me or Chris for cuttings.
 

sɥɐʞɐs

Avg. Dosage: 8 Tbsp. (58g)
Review Maestro
Thanks for your reply, but I don't live in Hawai... I'd like the plants to be shipped. Maybe you can point me to someone who can help?

Does it have to be a plant, or can it be a seed or a root?
Sometimes plants are available online, I don't see any right now though, it's pretty rare.
Anyway, I don't wanna discourage anyone from trying to grow kava, but if you don't live in a tropical area or have a professional greenhouse your plants will almost certainly die. And they'll die sooner than later. I've attempted growing several cuttings and several baby plants, they've all died but one...and that one remaining plant isn't in perfect shape either. Everything that can go wrong, seems to. I've even bought a cheap greenhouse, bought a humidifier, bought a digital thermometer/hygrometer that I can monitor via my iPhone, bought a heater and fan, bought a temperature controller to automate the heating and cooling...and I still have to manually ventilate the greenhouse during the day. ALL THIS AND STILL the success rate is incredibly low. Not to mention, on top of climate control issues, every pest that can destroy young new growth show up almost immediately and ruin any progress the plant makes. Caterpillars, slugs, larvae, aphids...

It will require a lot of money, and extensive knowledge to even think you have a chance. I have neither of these, so I borrow knowledge from the knowledgeable and money from my credit card. But do give it a try if you ever find one...I think growing one indoors might work, for a while, if you just want to 'have-one-to-have-one' but it will eventually take up a lot of space. Good luck. ::awesomesmiles::
 
My grandma would help, she's a miracle maker when it comes to plants. At her house even the hopeless plants come back to life. Heck her whole house is a green house :).
 

Gourmet Hawaiian Kava

Kava Expert
Kava Vendor
If anyone still reads this idk. I read that some of you folks sell lava plants locally in Hawaii? I am also looking for any one with red-stemmed kava cuttings or plants
Are you in Hawaii? I am on the Hilo side of the Big Island. I think Hiwa and Moi and Papa Ele ele and a few others could be considered red.
Aloha.

Chris
 

kavakarma

Kava Enthusiast
I always prefer growing a plant in my home if it is one I love. Thank you @sɥɐʞɐs for outlining the care a Kava plant needs indoors. What temp & humidity are you using, did you mention lights? and do they like a fan? Lots of soil? any fertilizer? What about "rooting powder"? I have a green thumb myself. I wish to obtain live Kava, thank you @Powerarmor for bringing the matter to surface.
@Gourmet Hawaiian Kava Tell me how cuttings prefer to be stored, do they need to be kept dry or moist to move them? Do you put them in moss right away?

There are many reasons for wanting to grow this at home, including the fresh squeezed flavor. BULA
 

Gourmet Hawaiian Kava

Kava Expert
Kava Vendor
I always prefer growing a plant in my home if it is one I love. Thank you @sɥɐʞɐs for outlining the care a Kava plant needs indoors. What temp & humidity are you using, did you mention lights? and do they like a fan? Lots of soil? any fertilizer? What about "rooting powder"? I have a green thumb myself. I wish to obtain live Kava, thank you @Powerarmor for bringing the matter to surface.
@Gourmet Hawaiian Kava Tell me how cuttings prefer to be stored, do they need to be kept dry or moist to move them? Do you put them in moss right away?

There are many reasons for wanting to grow this at home, including the fresh squeezed flavor. BULA
The cuttings need to be kept cool and moist. You will need to get to the cuttings as soon as possible after them being cut from the stalk. You do not need moss but it is good to keep them cool and moist. Please let me know if you have any other questions, aloha.

Chris
 
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