Kava

Piper methysticum

Piperaceae

Pacific ceremonial root for social ease and muscle quiet — liver-safe only as traditional aqueous preparations.

Legal in much of the US as a supplement; banned or limited in some countries after liver-injury reports. Not scheduled as a narcotic.

Parts used: Peeled rhizome of noble cultivars
Traditional notes: Social anxiety · Muscle tightness · Ceremonial ease
Grow · USDA 6b: Tropical; greenhouse or zone 10+ Sterile — start from cuttings of a known noble cultivar, never wild-type or 'tudei' unless you know the chemotype. In work: Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
Harvest: Rhizomes after 3–5 years in the tropics.

A tropical Pacific crop. Temperate gardens cannot replace Vanuatu soil and years.
This plate has no grow protocol — importation and possession rules vary.
Noble cultivars are a farmer’s problem, not a windowsill project.

Safety

Any liver disease Alcohol use Pregnancy Driving after a shell

Lore

Pacific hospitality in a muddy bowl. The root is pounded, not boiled like a European tea, and the mouth goes numb on purpose. Several countries restrict it for liver worry; the plant remains a village crop where it is the welcome.

The Herbarium — a teaching catalog, not a clinic. Traditional use is history, not a prescription. USDA 6b dates are a week either way, not a promise. Do not eat, drink, or harvest a plant you cannot name.