Kratom, also known as Mitragyna Speciosa, is a tropical tree that originates in Southeast Asia. Discovered by Dutch settlers in the 1800s, it gained popularity due to the benefits it offers consumers in their daily lives. Natives in Thailand used to chew on leaves picked from the kratom tree during long hikes through the jungles in order to quickly enjoy the benefits of kratom. It was soon discovered that the leaves could be dried and ground into a fine powder to make tea. Word spread quickly and kratom became widely used in Southeast Asia in the mid-19th century.
Known to grow up to 82 feet and as wide as 3 feet in diameter, kratom trees can get rather large. The trunks are normally straight with smooth, grey outer bark and leaves that are 8 inches long on average, bright green, and glossy. Each oval-shaped leaf has 12 to 17 pairs of veins. The flowers on the tree are yellow and grow in clusters of three at the base of the branches.
There are many names for Mitrgyna Speiciosa. From kratom to biak, kakum, kakuam, ketum, thang, and thom, there are a lot of ways to refer to this plant. The name varies from country to country and region to region. Even the pronunciation in the United States varies! Some say “kray-tum” while others refer to it as “crah-tum.” As the herb gained traction in the United States, there became a debate on how to pronounce “kratom.” No matter how you say it, one fact remains: this miraculous herb has changed the lives of many!
Kratom laws are ever-changing. With some states in the U.S. passing the kratom protection act and some banning kratom altogether, it’s good to have a resource to check the local legal status in your area. This map is simple and clear-cut.
If you’re traveling with kratom, it’s also important to know the regulation status for your destination. This website is a good resource for that.
As a primary kratom vendor in Texas, AOV has been discussing kratom for some time. We are passionate about the benefits of kratom and believe in thorough customer education. In addition to offering expert customer service, we release regular newsletters to provide you with all the information you may need as you begin or continue your healing journey with kratom. From avoiding same-strain syndrome to tips on storing your kratom to keep it fresh and potent, we are your go-to resource for all things kratom education.
Kratom is a plant that changes lives every day. There is a lot of information out there about kratom, but we’re here to help you learn it. Kratom 101 is just a brief introduction. By making use of our passionate kratom experts and our newsletter, you’ll be ready to try kratom with confidence.