mauve

I just put a cut in a glass of water, near a north facing window and wait.

They don't ship live plants worldwide...

I wish but i am facing a big problem: i can't find a single kava plant ! Hawaiian nurseries don't send cuttings anywhere else but US and the only other nursery growing kava (herbalistics) don't send outside of Australia. Since kava is hard to grow and rare, i never found someone with a spare cutting. Challenge ! I like it ! At my location we have two problems, for kava: the relative cold in winter: January-February the temps oscillate between 10°C-25°C and we regulary have typhoons, kava dislikes wind. So i should try a mix of potted plants, greenhouse and different protected locations, forest-like. Other than that it should be ok.

Kava is a plant i am dreaming of growing...but it looks so delicate outside of its tropical home ! PH, maybe try with another plant ? Or maybe she needs a more aerated soil (with pumice for example) ?

So, how is your kava plant now, PH ? Fine i hope !

Classic !

Just a quick question ! Sorry if we are going off topic ! Do you notice any differences between the cielo and the black ? Are the extrafloral nectaries under the leaves the same color, for example ? Thank you for the pictures, it is very interesting to dicover the propagating place of many of our plants (who doesn't have a SAB plant lol) !!!

Well, nothing that a good big glass of ayahuasca can't cure ! (if you are staying in Peru of course)

" By 1920, Japan itself produced more than 2,000 kgs of cocaine, which then doubled to 4,000 by 1922. Although officials figures for the 1930s shrunk to just under 1,000 kgs, these are considered by historians as doctored for international consumption. Exports across Asia officially dropped to negligible levels, though complaints registered about Japanese firms and reporting, as well as cases of deliberate smuggling (such as the "Fujitsuru" and "Taiwan Governor" brand vials in India). Other specialists have noted growing diplomatic cooperation between Japan and international drug officials, at least until the invasions of Manchuria and China, when opiates became a major issue. The firms making cocaine and morphine were among Japan's largest: Hoshi, Sankyo, Koto and Shiongo Pharmaceuticals, and enjoyed growing links to major trading trusts (such as Mitsui and Mitsubishi) and to interlocking governmental, colonial and military officials. In 1934, the Japanese authorities had 694 acres in Taiwan's Kagi (Chia-yi) district under intensive coca cultivation (by Taiwan Shoyaku and Hoshi). As a result, about 300,000 pounds of Formosan coca leaf were being harvested annually by the late 1930s, and Peruvian imports could be officially discontinued in 1938. During World War II the whole pharmaceutical industry, self-sufficient in imperial Japan, came under war-government jurisdiction. In that sense, if cocaine was indeed marketed for non-medical purposes across occupied Asia--and the evidence mainly concerns opiates--the state bore responsibility. In any case, Taiwanese coca was demolished by war and the entire pharmaceutical industry reorganized (without cocaine) under the U.S. Occupation of Japan in 1945 (its previous practices an explicit charge of U.S. tribunals). A two-decade autonomous coca sphere abruptly ended." From here: http://www.takaoclub.com/opium/japanrule2.htm

That's why i said "our gardens" not our countries ;)

Nice pictures, Planthelper ! Nice specimens ! About the identification of the "common strain" cultivated in Australia (SAB, Herbalistics etc) another interesting developement was made by Pinkoyd at The Nook (he obtained his plants from seeds of "...of the jungle"): Got a response from the OTJ guy (redacted for his privacy): "P.v. seeds initially came from my Rio Pitayacu collection trip, which was fairly soon after that field course you were part of. I'm pretty sure it was 1990, but I don't have my notebooks with me here at my friends place. During 93, 94 and 95 I made trips to Amazonian Peru and brought back many different medicinal and visionary plants and seeds. Out of convenience and continuity, I made an arrangement with a local fellow who managed a little botanical garden in Nauta near Iquitos. I'd go out with him as well as collect seed from the stuff he was cultivating, including various ayahuasca admixture species. In Peru P.v. is called 'chacruna' and in Ecuador it's 'amiruca panga'. So, I would bring stuff back myself for otj/bpc and also get further material sent by him. All the P.v. seed i distributed of Peruvian origin came from the very same location, Nauta, but I couldn't tell you which year you plant's seed came from. All the P.v. we offered of Ecuador origin came from that Rio Pitayacu area, which is incredibly wild and took three days of strenuous hiking to reach." Since my seeds were obtained in '94 it's looking they were sourced from Peru. In a later email, once I clarified the date for him, he says: "For sure your P.v. seed is from the tributary of the mighty Amazon near the jungle village of Nauta, Iquitos district." So it would be nice to know what year the OTJ seeds came in Australia, we could determine the origin of the "common strain": ecuadorian amiruca or peruvian chacruna from Nauta. I am growing the common strain and Pinkoyd's side by side, they are still young but i can't see any differences.

Aren't there some novo left in Taiwan ? The japanese were the biggest cocaine producer in history and they cultivated E.novo in two places: Okinawa and (mainly) Taiwan...There must still be an old escaped tree somewhere in a mountain ! Mitragyna is present in the Philippines ? Interesting info ! It is a little bit surprising because i noticed how fragile the leaves are when the typhoons come. I guess that our Mytragina and mine are the most northerly of it's native range !

Very interesting pictures and info, Micromegas, thank you ! Would it be possible to know where the pictures were taken ? I am curious to know more about this caapi and it's usages, if possible ? The bark of this caapi is very rough indeed, i am wondering if the "cascabel" trait is genetical or depending of cultivation, conditions or age ?

I am somewhat surprised, when i am searching the net for informations on lesser Galangal (Alpinia Officinarum), that there is so few reports on it. Because it really works. It's one of my favorite psychoactive drink, i usually grind finely the root and mix it with tea, red tea in the evening or alone. It must be strong to be active, one must feel like drinking a kind of chilipepper infusion. If you find it too hot this way, you can boil the whole root but it is a little bit wastefull. The effects are really enjoyable, very warming, relaxing. The feeling of well being is coupled with a little loss of balance so it is advised to not attempt to drive or anything... It is not very strong but still not subbtle, the sense of touch becomes different, very sensual. In China, Galangal is believed to makes the Chi to flow in the body and i think that it may explains the effects. Try to combine with Gotu Kola (wich opens the crown chakra) for a complete stimulation, i liked it. The Galangal i am writing about is the Minor galangal, it has red roots and is more stronger than the greater Galangal (Alpina Galanga) wich has white roots with pinkish tones it looks similar in the plant form but is taller and has more flowers than A.Officinarum. Kaempferia Galanga is a very different plant, it is psychoactive too but in a very different way. I didn't experimented much with this one, the taste was unbearable for me in big amounts (i found it worst than Ayahuasca with many additives). The activity was somewhat like Passionflower effects. Strangely enough, i never found any Alpinia Officinarum for sale anywhere, contrary to the greater Galangal wich is easily obtainable in asian stores... Someone has some to trade ?

Genius !

Thank you Torsten for this ! Frankly i was feeling less and less attracted to this forum because of the general tone: it was looking more and more like the shroomery. It's not that i am offended by the trashy words, just that i don't like the adolescent and immature tone of those words. The choice of words does reflects on you, people: until yesterday i was convinced that the use of the c. word was typically australian !

I think that Rivea flowers in December usualy (in northern hemisphere). Well, time to start another vine ! Passiflora edulis would grow quickly in Greece and should reward you with delicious fruits and sedative leaves...

Aaah thanks for that !

Sorry for your loss, Mutant it's strange, Rivea are very hardy but it is true that they love water. The leaves are somewhat active by the way, a pleasant smoke. Did she ever flowered ?

I think that this is the good place to thank you, fellow australians growers, thank to you, Iboga is still growing and available to gardeners ! Maybe it's time to bring another type than the round pod in your nurseries, for diversity sake ?

I talk to the wind about this old cactus that felt to the ground...dreaming about a cut .... I am not in Australia...still possible to try growing this beautiful pachanoi ?

I just found those beautiful cacti in my nursery, three trichocereus (i think) in a pot. The biggest one is 65 cm (26 inches) all this for only 1780 yens (approximatively 21 $AU), not bad ! They have been growing in a dark corner surrounded by tropical plants in a humid greenhouse and have a nice blue colour. At first i though cuzcoensis because of the blonde spines but since there is no "S" between the ribs i am not so sure...maybe a kind of peruvianus ? Any idea ?

Wow, that was very quick ! Thank you everybody !!! You definitively know your cacti ! I went googling Pilosocereus Azureus and yes that's it indeed. Not a tricho but i don't like it less because it is a beautiful plant ! I'll try to keep it blue !

It is good to know you are back on the forum, i always loved reading your contributions and indeed the forum is different without you ! Let's all send more healing your way and good luck !

Thank you for the translation, Whitewind ! Very useful ! I note that the brazilian grower stressed the importance of taking off the flowers for a better alkaloidal content (and obviously leaf production). Also that he didn't found any psychoactive use for the berries. The "common" Psychotria viridis=...of the jungle seeds= ecuadorian strain "amiruca". Common only in Australia ! http://forums.ayahuasca.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=26921