Homegrown Khat?

[MrMojoRisin]

Anyone have experience of growing and using Catha Edulis?

[goldmund]

I think you can purchase raw Khat and perhaps seeds on www.dreamstore.nl . I am not sure if they ship Khat to UK. I have had many Ethiopian friends that use it. Perhaps if you go to a Ethiopia/Eritrean, Somolian, Yemen, Djibouti, etc. district, you might find someone who knows where to get it.

[goldmund]

Indeed they do, I just looked it up. They sell 10gram bags for 9,75Euro. They suggest you make a tea instead of chewing it.

[khronus]

We haver Khat ( Catha edulis ) seeds at www.spiritgarden.co.uk

I have some seedlings on the go at the moment, I can provide cultivation information no probs! :)

K

[goldmund]

Khronus, what is the chemical relationship between Cathine and Amphetamine?

[goldmund]

btw, very nice site Khronus! I am going to check it out more soon.

[MrMojoRisin]

Thanks for the info. I've seen Khat offered before. In fact, you can buy it sometimes in ethnic stores in Cardiff near where I live.
I was more interested in peoples experience in growing it. I tried seeds once. I was verysucccessful in germinating them (unlike most) but they didn't last the summer out. One by one they popped off. I've had a couple of more mature plants for a few years but they are not vey active and make very little growth, there's a liitle burst in the springtime, but by summer new growth shrivels up. So, even though the plants are still alive, they never come to much. Any comments?

[khronus]

Hey thanks for the thumbs up goldmund,

Mrmojorisin, as far as chemical relations im unsure to be honest. I have experience in growing this plant but not in its consumption. You are right it is sold in ethnic stores, its use I believe is quite widespread in somali communities.
I have a good link that sums up cultivation tech though:

http://www.plot55.com/growing/c.edulis.html


I got germination easily but never got them older,..the seed trasy was left on the floor and the cats used it as a litter tray nd pissed in it and dug them up..to say I was upset!! :(
Alas I planted some more the other day and I am awaiting germination.

K

[gnrm23]

methamphetamine is reduced (hydrogenated) ephedrine, while methcathinone is oxidized ephedrine (many reaction schemes will allow pseudo-ephedrine to be used instead of ephedrine...)

the fresh khat leaves have more of the desired chems; upon aging, much of the chems end up as cathine (nor-pseudo-ephedrine), etc...

too bad Catha edulis is illegal in the good ol' usa...