From Tree to Kratom Tea: How is Kratom Produced?

From Tree to Kratom Tea: How is Kratom Produced?

How is kratom produced? Is it made in a high-tech greenhouse or a lab? Actually, not much has changed over the centuries when it comes to kratom farming practices. You’ll be happy to know that kratom is naturally and organically cultivated and produced from the leaves of kratom trees which are picked, washed, ground up and dried.

In the Beginning

For millennia, the local people of Southeast Asia have been cultivating the kratom tree (mitragyna speciosa) to benefit from its medicinal and recreational properties. The earliest known reports of kratom consumption in Malaysia is 1836. Kratom belongs to the Rubiaceae family, which includes coffee and gardenia plants. These towering evergreen trees with their large glossy leaves are quite impressive and can reach up to 80 feet or more. 

Kratom trees grow naturally throughout the jungles of Indonesia, Thailand, Papua New Guinea and Malaysia but are also planted by kratom farmers for cultivation on private land. These trees require a tropical climate and are very sensitive to frost and drought. 

Indonesia as the Main Exporter of Kratom Leaves and Kratom Tea

Driven primarily by kratom tea’s increasing popularity and demand in the West, Indonesia has risen to become the main producer and exporter of kratom, as its laws have been relatively more relaxed than the neighboring kratom-growing countries. Indonesia’s tropical climate also creates the perfect conditions for producing a top product, and the farmers there have a long history of perfecting their kratom farming techniques.

In fact, it’s estimated that around 95% of the world’s kratom tea comes from Indonesia with kratom exports generating approximately $13 million U.S. dollars annually.

Farmers in countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, where kratom also grows naturally, weren’t so lucky during the onset of the kratom boom, as their governments more strictly banned the cultivating and exporting of kratom.

Southeast Asia Kratom Laws

Kratom laws in Indonesia may seem a bit confusing: Although local sales and distribution are illegal, the Indonesian government currently allows the growing and harvesting of kratom for export. However, in June 2019, Indonesia’s Minister of Health proposed a potential kratom ban that could become effective in 2024. According to the government, this would allow farmers 5 years to transition their livelihood away from kratom and toward other crops. 

As virtually all of the world’s kratom is produced and exported from Indonesia, a ban would cause quite a shock to the kratom tea community, including Indonesian farmers, American kratom business owners and consumers. But there is hope that if worse comes to worst and the Indonesian ban is passed, Thailand may be able to fill in some of the demand, as the tide may be changing there regarding kratom legislation. 

Although the Thai government considered legalizing kratom in 2004, 2009, 2013 and 2020 to no avail, it did begin allowing kratom to be used for medicinal purposes in 2018. Then in 2019, the government announced that kratom would be removed from their narcotics list, where it has been since 1979. Kratom cultivation has been illegal in Thailand since 1943. 

In Malaysia, the use of kratom leaves is still prohibited under Section 30 of the Poisons Act 1952.

Kratom Tea Leaf Cultivation

Whether you decide you want white, red, or green kratom powder, it all goes back to the farmers’ cultivating and processing methods — not the type of tree. In fact, there is only one kratom tree species: mitragyna speciosa. The various vein colors result from the growing process — including how much sunlight is available and how mature the leaves are at harvest as well as the drying process. 

Although the tree stays leafy year-round, once the individual leaves reach a certain level of maturity, they either fall off or are picked off by the farmer. As the leaves mature, different levels of alkaloids build up. Harvesting kratom leaves, to eventually become kratom tea, is therefore a time-sensitive practice, as it directly impacts the concentration of the plant’s alkaloids (the botanical compounds responsible for the plant’s effects). Genetics may also play a role in alkaloid content.

It is also reported that the leaves cycle through the various vein colors — from red to green to yellow to brown. These time-dependent farming practices allow kratom farmers to produce several different veins at the same time, even though all of the trees are essentially the same species.

Different Veins Equal Different Effects

The vein color is an indicator of the overall effects of the kratom tea, but even two batches of the same vein can differ in color. This is because it is organically processed and never artificially colored.

• White vein kratom, often relatively pale or yellowish in color, is derived from young leaves and is typically linked to more stimulating and energizing effects. 
• Green vein kratom, which tends to come in a more vibrant green color, is derived from middle-aged leaves and is associated with a more balanced, euphoric effect. 
• Red vein kratom, a darker reddish-brown color, is made from the most mature leaves and is typically linked to more relaxing effects. 

Once the leaves have been picked and collected, they are rinsed with water to remove any dirt or other contaminants. Next, the leaves are dried, or cured, on large racks which can further change the alkaloid content, depending on the amount of time they spend in the sun. Finally, the leaves are ground up with industrial grinders, resulting in fine powder ready to be sold to buyers.

American Consumers

Americans make up the large majority of kratom consumers worldwide. According to the American Kratom Association, “nearly 5 million Americans consume kratom as a part of their health and well-being regimen and have done so for decades.” Some data suggests there could be up to 15 million kratom consumers in the U.S. Surveys reveal that kratom users are educated, middle-income, employed, and have health insurance, according to the AKA.

According to a survey completed by Southeast Asian kratom tea exporters, the average monthly volume of kratom exported to the U.S. averages 1,950 metric tons of kratom products per month. 

Interested in kratom tea yourself? Click here to learn more about the different powders we offer!

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Yellow kratom is without question a new development.

White Vein Kratom strains are made with the white-veined leaves of the Kratom tree coupled by a unique drying process that turns the Kratom powder white. White-veined leaves appear in the spring when the plant is restarting its cyclic cycle. Experienced harvesters pick the white-veined leaves by hand and store them in burlap bags until their work is done for the day.

So aside from being a rare, spiky plant found only on one island, horn kratoms are highly sought after for their powerful effects. And whether one seeks the pain relief of Red Horn Kratom, the energy boost of White Horn Kratom, or the nootropic effects of Green Horn Kratom, there is a potent horn kratom strain for everyone.

What Do Kratom Colors Mean

What Are the Different Varieties of Kratom?

When you browse kratom varieties, you’ll likely see that kratom is usually divided by Red, Green, and White varieties. There are a few specialty colors that might pop up from time to time like Gold or Yellow, but most will be Red, Green, or White.

What Do The Different Colors Of Kratom Mean?

Those new to kratom might be wondering how it is that one plant can come in different varieties when it reaches the market. The difference lies in the growth and methodology, not so much in the plant itself.

What Do Kratom Colors Mean

The euphoria produced by Green Malay lasts longest as compared to all other strains of Kratom.

There is a moment when the alkaloids in the Kratom leaves, which are the compounds that make them unique, are at their very highest quantity. Experienced Kratom growers know when to pick the leaves so they can contain the most alkaloids.

Green and Red Vein Kratom

Harvested in Nibung in the Bengkulu region of Indonesia, Green Malay is 100% pure green vein Kratom. The stems of the leaves are removed before the leaves are dried for one day. This helps maintain the green hue of the leaves, while also preserving the optimum alkaloid content.

Green vein kratom can be mixed with red or white kratom strains to create a more rounded and sophisticated effect. When properly mixed it prevents the excessive anesthesia of the red veins and the overstimulation of the white veins.

Before we get into the three main strains of kratom, it’s important to understand that all Kratom comes from the leaves of a tree that is part of the coffee family known as Mitragyna Speciosa (Kratom). The Mitragyna Speciosa tree grows in nature throughout the tropical rain forests of Southeast Asia. For example, countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Borneo, and others located in the same geographical area is where much of today’s Kratom is sourced from.

Red Vein Kratom leaves have red-colored stem and veins. Red kratom is by far the best selling and most widely available strain of kratom on the market. The red vein is sold more than the green and white vein combined. The red vein kratom plant grows abundantly in Southeast Asia and is slightly more persistent than other Mitragyna Speciosa trees. Some studies claim that the substances that give rise to the red color of the veins also ensure that the plant is less susceptible to external factors.

This tropical evergreen tree is native to Southeast Asia in countries like Borneo, Malaysia, and Thailand. It has been used in a variety of ways in traditional cultures for centuries. At times, it was included in cultural rites or to motivate laborers.

Due to the balanced functioning green vein kratom is often used against social fears. You will be less afraid and more able to disregard the importance of other people’s impressions and opinions. Therefore, the green veins are popular during recreational activities such as a night out in town.

Drying Kratom

I’ve seen a ton of supposed examples of different drying processes, such as drying indoors for a portion of time than outdoors to finish or drying without any sunlight versus only utilizing sunlight to dry. With so many different ideas being shouted into your ear, my best advice is to contact your vendor and ask for as much info as possible about the quality and conditions of the products you wish to purchase.

Which kratom vein color will you choose – or what is your existing favorite? Let us know through social media or get in touch. We always enjoy hearing about the experiences of our current and future customers!

What Do The Different Colors Of Kratom Mean: Yellow

Yellow kratom is not a vein color. Rather, yellow refers to the tint that sometimes accompanies the leaves after this unique curing and fermentation process. Undertaken with the best green and white vein leaves of the indicated region, the fermentation process causes changes in the alkaloids, leaving you with a strain that falls somewhere between the red vein and green vein. Indeed, yellow is a mix of green and red veins. Yellow is definitely worth a try if you’re looking for a good fit but haven’t found a more common variety that works for you.

Often, the variation between red and white kratom will be more simply explained as red being more “mature” and white being “younger.” In terms of overall light and sun exposure, this is true, but the terminology can be quite confusing.

Some of the risks of buying Kratom from a supplier that’s not reputable could be that the product you’re getting isn’t 100% pure Kratom leaf. It could also have other detrimental substances in it, like heavy metals, pesticides, or bacteria.

The Different Strains Of Kratom and What They Do

The Kratom different kratom strains thrive at their best in different conditions and contain various alkaloids which each produce their own effects. Red vein kratom strains are suitable for certain purposes, while green and white kratom strains are more appropriate at other times.

Ultimately, however, the color of kratom often has a lot to do with the way that it was dried! Green leaves are usually dried indoors for 80% of their drying time while whites are dried inside in the dark. Red leaves are given more sun exposure via outdoor drying or UV lighting, depending on the variety.

Green Vein kratom is another popular variety because most strains offer a nice balance of gentle, caffeine-like energy. For the same people noted above, this might be a good choice for daytime relief, while a red vein is reserved for evenings. In addition to stimulation and analgesia, green vein strains often alleviate symptoms of depression and improve mental clarity.

Yellow kratom is without question a new development. I highly recommend you contact your vendor if they sell yellow kratom and make sure they can answer all your questions. Where is it from? Is it a mixture of different veins or strains? You can even request a certificate of analysis (COA) from a testing laboratory.

The strains get the colors from the drying and the fermentation process. Most strains start as red vein Kratom leaves, and then the amount of time they spend outside, in UV light, or fermenting in bags determines what color they become.

These amazing tropical trees, related to the coffee plant, boggle botanists with their ability to thrive in almost any condition. They grow in floodplains or arid deserts, and when they are subjected to a lot of heat and light close to harvest, they grow exponentially.

The strains get the colors from the drying and the fermentation process. Most strains start as red vein Kratom leaves, and then the amount of time they spend outside, in UV light, or fermenting in bags determines what color they become.

Then, the drying method will change the final chemical composition of the leaves. The final product depends completely on what type of process the leaf went through when it was grown to when it was dried after harvesting. All of the differences of kratom varieties come about during these parts of the process!

For example, green vein Kratom is dried in an air-conditioned room in the dark, then brought outside for exposure to UV rays for one hour. White vein Kratom is also dried indoors in a cooled room, and not exposed to UV rays, so it keeps its light hue. Red vein Kratom gets the most light and is fermented in bags, which enhances its red hue. The more light red vein gets, the darker the hue.

Get The Right Kratom For You

Siesta Botanicals prides itself on providing quality products and keeping our customers happy. Check out all the different kinds of kratom available and choose the one that is best for your needs here in our shop.

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