Identification assisitance?

[CharlesInAZ]

I purchased a plant about a year ago sold as Kava Kava and it is growing very well. I started to do some research and am now wondering if it is Piper auritum or Piper methysticum.

Would someone be so kind as to help clarify my understanding?

Any assistance is much appreciated!

 

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

Can you give me a picture of the base of the stalks? I can tell you right away. Aloha.

Chris

 

[CactusKava]

This is why I love this place. @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava is the man!

 

[HeadHodge]

This is why I love this place. @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava is the man!

thanks for suggesting using the 3 digits of the cheomtype instead of two. That turned out to be extremely beneficial Cacti.

 

[CharlesInAZ]

Chris,
This is the best picture I could get of the stalk. Hope that is sufficient. Thanks much for the help!

Charles

 

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

Hi Charles, unfortunately the plant it too young to see it's growth habit, I would be watching the stalks, if it is the false kava then it will spring up shoots from underneath the soil, it sends runners and they become the stalks of the plant. The real kava will expand at the base of the stump and not sent runners. So we need to wait to see how the stalks grow, then we can tell for sure if it is real kava or the false kava. Sorry we can not identify it now. Let me know if you have any other questions, aloha.

Chris

 

[CharlesInAZ]

Chris,

Mahalo!

Do you have a good sample photo of a real Kava's stump base as you're describing?

Also, the reason I was suspicious in the first place was the vein pattern on the leaves. I read that real Kava's veins all start from the stem where false Kava's have veins shooting off the center vein. What's your opinion on differentiation based on vein patterns?

Charles