Kava can refer to either the plant or a beverage made from its root. The beverage has sedative, anesthetic, and mild euphoriant properties. It is consumed throughout the Pacific Ocean cultures of Polynesia, including Hawaii and Vanuatu, Melanesia, some parts of Micronesia, such as Pohnpei and Kosrae, and the Philippines.

Feb 10, 2018 · Kava is a tropical evergreen shrub with heart-shaped leaves and woody stems. Its scientific name is Piper methysticum. Pacific cultures traditionally use the kava drink during rituals and...

Piper excelsum (formerly known as Macropiper excelsum) of the pepper family (Piperaceae) and commonly known as kawakawa, is a small tree of which the subspecies P. excelsum subsp. excelsum is endemic to New Zealand; [3] the subspecies P. e. subsp. psittacorum is found on Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island and the Kermadec Islands.

Feb 8, 2023 · Kava is an extract that comes from a shrub called Piper methysticum, which is native to Micronesia and Polynesia. “The root is emulsified to make an intoxicating beverage,” Dr. Goldman explains. “It can also be dried and used as a dietary supplement to …

Jan 7, 2025 · Kava, nonalcoholic euphoria-producing beverage made from the root of the pepper plant, principally Piper methysticum, in the South Pacific islands. It is yellow-green in color and somewhat bitter. The primary active ingredients are kavalactones. The beverage is …

Aug 24, 2023 · The kava plant, known for its calming effects, originates from the South Pacific islands. It’s been used culturally for centuries in religious and traditional ceremonies and plant medicine. It comes from the pepper plant, Piper methysticum.

The kava plant, whose scientific name is Piper methysticum, is a relative of the black pepper plant. Like the black pepper plant, the kava plant grows only in tropical locations.

Oct 25, 2015 · This informative article explains in detail, how to grow Kava plants & how to propagate kava plants since it doesn't ever seed. Click here to discover more.

`Awa is one of the plants brought in their sailing canoes by the earliest Polynesian voyagers arriving in Hawai`i. `Awa ( Piper methysticum , pronounced ah-vah with the "w" as a "v" sound), a member of the pepper family, grows in the wild now and is also cultivated increasily throughout the Pacific Islands, where it is called Kava or Kava Kava.

Sep 18, 2024 · Kava, known as ‘awa in Hawaiian, is a traditional drink made from the roots of the plant Piper methysticum, commonly consumed throughout the Pacific Islands, including Hawai‘i.