Print

[jbz711]

I have a M. Speciosa (I think it's Maeng Da, but when I get home I'll take some pictures without the LED's to see if anyone can help with ID) that lives in a 2x4 gorilla grow tent with the extender, reaching all the way to my ceiling, and it's grown its way all the way up to and past the LED's putting on tons of new growth and nodes.  I've known for a while that this was unsustainable, and after I had to repot it it only got worse.  Not complaining by any means, but the inevitable plan now is to plant it outside next to a pond and with protection from the wind.  I live in Austin, TX, which is basically on the edge of zone 8b/9a, and have a pretty protected back yard and microclimate, being just in an oxbow in the nearby creek, and at least to date, have had success with a p. methysticum in the ground in my front yard (it was not having it in the tent, and 3 of its comapnions perished tragically before I moved it outside.

What is the lowest zone someone has had a M. Speciosa survive in the ground, and what special conditions if any, did you have?

[danzick]

I had one in the ground for about 5 years in 9b/10a .  It grew into a very large tree within 3 years and produced hundreds of seed pods for me.  During that time It survived routinely into the upper 30's at night with An occasional dip to 32 for a night.  Eventually, We had one of those once every 20-year winters and two weeks of 28 degrees killed it.  I've not planted another one out since then. 

As an aside, growth in the ground was phenomenal.  Mine went from about 2ft with a half-inch trunk to about 15 ft and a 4-inch trunk in 3 years.  (with unlimited water, ferts, and hot humid weather)  I'll try to dig up some pics.

[Bach]

Sounds like you've got a pretty good handle on how to do it. Maybe this global warming thing will work in your favor...

Seriously, you can always take cuttings and keep small clones as insurance against the mother plant dying in a freeze. Near a pond works to your advantage in several different ways for Mitragyna, helps moderate temps and provides a large water supply. In fact you could plant it IN the pond and will be happy as can be.

[jbz711]

I've somewhat tongue in cheek said the same thing about global warming, that perhaps it will knock me into the next hardiness zone.  I got to thinking last night, and I had first read your post about putting it in the pond as hyperbolic and representative of its large water needs, but then it occurred to me that you might be serious, and that a pond that didn't freeze might really be the best place for it.  Care to comment?

[Bach]

Yeah that would be part of it, the resistance to freezing. The other part is that in habitat krats tend to occur in river basins and spend a lot of their time flooded. A friend of mine who visited Thailand said as long as the crown of the plant is above water they seem to be fine.

I keep mine in a pot placed in a galvanized washtub so the roots are constantly wet. It's 17 feet tall.

Yes, you read that right, I have a 17 foot tall potted plant. Call me crazy.... 

1 Like nikshaz likes this.

[danzick]

Mine was planted right by a drainage ditch.  Between that and the sprinkler system the ground was always wet. It was also the first area to flood if we got a lot of rain.  Many plants didn't do well in that spot, but the M. speciosa thrived.

[Botanicus]

Planted one each: "Red" and "White" varieties near a pond here in north-central Florida (zone 8/9-ish) and both froze to the ground when temps hit the mid-20's. Only the White variety came back from the roots. I'm trying the experiment again; this time with both varieties planted further into the pond (currently standing in about a foot of water)

[jbz711]

This thread got me motivated and I finished digging out the pond this weekend, and got the liner and filter/pump.  12' x 7' x 3', 1800 gallons in all, now just gotta figure out the best place to try to establish the tree.  Most of the advice I see is about how to keep tree roots away from pond liners, certainly not how to put trees in a pond.  Once it doesn't look terrible I'll put pictures up.

[Frog Pajamas]

Chicsa has a kratom growing in the ground next to a pond. If you need advice, hit him up. :-)