The Roots of Kratom
Mitragyna speciosa powder begins with the mitragyna speciosa tree, a plant native to Southeast Asian countries including Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Indigenous populations in these areas have been growing and harvesting kratom for centuries, and the earliest reports of kratom consumption in Malaysia date back as far as 1836 according to Burkill.
The plant’s environment is a significant factor in how kratom is made. At maturity, the mitragyna speciosa tree can grow as tall as 80 feet in ideal conditions. Its leaves have a shiny, dark green coloration and are quite large, with most full-grown leaves dwarfing the size of an average human hand. Because the kratom plant is evergreen, its leaves quickly regrow when shed, making kratom production possible year-round.
Kratom grows best in warm, humid environments where sunlight is plentiful. As such, the plant is abundant in rain forested areas such as the tropical island of Borneo.