You might have heard about kratom before, but you might not know that there are several kratom strains that are available to buy. But what kind of kratom strains are out there and what are the differences between them? Is one type of kratom better than the others?
It is important to understand these questions if you plan on buying kratom for yourself at some point. While there are several offshoot strains that have become popular in recent years, there are three main strains that you should keep in mind: red vein kratom, green vein kratom, and white vein kratom.
Keep reading to learn more about these different kratom strains and what makes them different from each other.
What You Need to Know About Red Vein Kratom
The first thing you should know about red vein kratom is that it is perhaps the single most popular type of kratom on the market. Whenever you go into a store that sells kratom, you will always find red vein kratom available. You will especially find it in large quantities in online shops.
While red vein kratom certainly takes up most of the attention when compared to other strains, it is not necessarily “better” than other strains. Instead, it is just different and equally good as other strains. You might be wondering where red vein kratom gets its name.
It all has to do with the kratom tree Mitragyna speciosa. This is an evergreen tree that grows in tropical areas in Southeast Asia. Specifically, it grows in several countries including Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
The Details
This tree loves to grow in moist environments, specifically along bodies of water like rivers. For that reason, kratom tree farmers will often plant their kratom plantations along rivers so that the trees can grow as healthily as possible. Red vein kratom gets its name from the way the kratom tree’s leaves change color as the tree gets older.
When the kratom tree matures, the veins on the leaves will turn a reddish shade. Once the veins on the leaves change into this color, this is a sure sign that the leaves are ready to be harvested. It is important to harvest these leaves at the right time.
If the leaves are plucked too early, then the veins on the leaves will not be fully red or ready to harvest. On the other hand, if the leaves are harvested too late, the leaves may start to wither and decay. If that happens, they will not be of adequate quality to harvest and distribute for purchase.
If you ever decide to buy red vein kratom, you will find that it comes in many different forms such as powders or crushed leaves.
What You Need to Know About Green Vein Kratom
What many people don’t realize is that all strains of kratom come from the same kratom tree. There are no separate types of kratom trees that produce different types of kratom strains. Because these different strains of kratom come from the same tree, it is important to harvest the kratom leaves at the precise moment.
This is because different strains of kratom are actually kratom leaves at different stages of development. As mentioned before, red vein kratom consists of kratom leaves that have matured. Green vein kratom is a bit different because the leaves are younger than red vein kratom leaves but they are not the youngest of all kratom strains.
Understanding Green Vein Kratom
As the name suggests, green vein kratom consists of leaves that have green veins. The maturity of the leaves is very important because as the leaves age, their chemical composition changes. In particular, the concentration of the alkaloids within the leaves will change as the plant gets older.
This is similar to how the alkaloid concentration in coffee changes. This is not too surprising since the kratom tree is distantly related to the coffee plant. Green vein kratom needs to be dried out before it can be distributed.
This is possible by drying the plant inside. Usually, large warehouses with good airflow are necessary to dry these leaves. Good airflow is important, otherwise, the leaves might start to get moldy or develop mildew.
What You Need to Know About White Vein Kratom
White vein kratom is the youngest type of kratom that you can buy. As the name suggests, this type of kratom consists of kratom leaves that have white veins. White vein kratom is quite different from red vein kratom but, at the same time, it is quite similar to green vein kratom.
The drying process of this type of kratom is unique. It needs to be dried in a similar way as green vein kratom. Specifically, it needs to be in an indoor area where light cannot reach it.
This is because light can damage the leaves as they dry out. However, after being dried almost completely, white vein kratom leaves may be moved outside to continue drying in the sunlight. This is not usually done with the other forms of kratom.
All About Different Kratom Strains
There are many different kratom strains out on the market but the three most popular are red vein, green vein, and white vein kratom. All of these different strains come from the same tree. The main difference between them has to do with the age of the leaves when they are harvested since their age determines their concentration of alkaloids.
The great thing about all of these kratom strains is that they are all easy to find and buy online. If you want to buy some kratom for yourself, click here.