How to grow Kratom, Mitragyna speciosa

When your plant arrives, carefully remove the plant from the box, minding use of sharp instruments, cut the tape, not the box in a warmer area, free from drafts to avoid dehydration. Carefully remove all packaging disturbing the plant as little as possible. Your plant may or may not be noticeably wilted. This is to be expected from the shock of transport. Do not be alarmed if it looks a little 'sad'. Keep plant away from direct artificial or natural light for at least a day. A dimly lit room, such as the counter or table top in front of drawn shades or blinds is considered indirect lighting. It needs to adjust to the new environment.

Water the plant generously, but do not allow to stand in water for more than 2-3 hours per day. The plant should 'perk' up within a few hours. Give another drink if needed after being revived.

This plant will need acclimation to direct sunlight. You may acclimate it by gradually increasing the amount of daily exposure 30 minutes to 1 hour per day over the next week or two. Any greater exposure to direct sunlight may risk significant sunburn. Keep a close eye on the plant and adjust accordingly.

Kratom is a very interesting species that will require VERY well-drained soil. I highly recommend Miracle-Gro potting mix as an excellent source of nutrients for proper leaf production and plant stability. Kratom requires an ample amount of lighting that is very bright, however not harsh sun. If adequate lighting is not maintained consistently, leaf drop will occur quite severely until the plant can use what light is available. You may find the use of fluorescent lighting to be amicable and ultimately will be easier to control during the shorter winter months. Consider the plant's native habit, Thailand and Africa, where the tropical zones are moist and warm and days are long. Should artificial lighting be impractical for your needs, 4-5 hours of early morning sun should be sufficient.

The temperature that you may find comfortable will ultimately make your new plant comfortable. Much higher than 90 degrees F and leaf production is slowed slightly, although the plant loves plenty of humidity and higher temps. Much lower than 50 degrees F and the plant will stop growing pretty much altogether; remaining dormant until warmer temperatures are maintained all the while, dropping nearly every leaf. Please understand this plant is tropical in nature and will not survive freezing temperatures.

You should want to water when the very top of soil becomes slightly dry in appearance or to touch. Lack of sufficient water will result in smaller stunted leaves and much slower growth. Misting once or twice daily will help alleviate stress of a drier climate as well help prevent many opportunities for pests which often prefer the dry undersides and joints of plants in general. Kratom prefers fairly damp, VERY well-drained potting soil. I use ONLY miracle-gro potting mix for the Kratom. No moss, no vermiculite, nothing but the potting mix. Root growth, again, is rather slow, allowing you to keep the plant potted longer.

If you do not keep the soil moistened, the leaves will still continue to grow, however, they seem to have a slightly sticky resin that keeps them clasped together before they are actually released from the xylem meristem tissue. The higher the relative moisture the plant is exposed to, the less viscous the sticky resin is; which in turn, allows the mirrored leaves to easily separate from each other. If the moisture content drops even a little, the resin becomes more sticky and the leaflets hold together more tightly. The leaves still emerge, but the stickiness tends to tear the edges slightly like this:

If the moisture content is balanced the leaves will open freely and appear with no tears or serration's

The hard part is just getting the balance between too much and too little, something that is difficult to make 100% perfect because of the ever-changing humidity indoors. A humidifier can be used in combination with misting to emulate a rain forest as best as possible, but don't worry if you have the problems of leaf tears and serrations. The leaves are still very practical, just not as 'pretty'.

The main concern I have found for good leaf production to remain, and the leaves not to fall, is adequate lighting. This plant is going to require more lighting than most plants. If lighting is not appropriate, leaves fall from here to kingdom come. Increasing light exposure to 15 hours timed artificial lighting has shown successful results. I recommend one 40-watt fluorescent GE Gro Tube and one 40-watt Solar spectrum aquarium light. It's buy far the cheapest fix (electricity-wise), however you may have more suitable lighting, or find other ways. Watch your plant closely and you will learn to accommodate it to the most suitable growing environment.

As I have mentioned before, insects are very attracted to Kratom plants. If you chose to put your plant outside, watch it closely. Within one day you may see significant damage to leaves. If this occurs, bring the plant inside immediately. The use of pesticides are strongly discouraged if you plan on using this plant for its medicinal qualities. You can put it in a windowsill and mist daily, but artificial lighting may be more suitable for faster growth. Indoor pests to be aware of are cats. If you share your home with a cat, consider putting the plant in a location that your frisky feline will not be tempted to disturb the plant. Cats have been known to eat the leaves of the plant. While this is not healthy for your plant, there are no known dangers to your cat. It is unlikely that a cat would eat enough of a this plant to experience noticeable side effects.

Watch your plant closely and you will learn to accommodate it to the most suitable growing environment. With lots of love and care your Kratom plant can eventually grow up to be a Kratom tree.