Psychotria viridis, the 'Ayahuasca' plant.
Traditional Ethnic Names:
Psychotria viridis has been reported to have the following various tribal names:
Reinha, Folha, Chacrona, amiruca panga, amurucapanga (Ecuador), chacruna (Peru), kawa, kawa kui (a recognized variety), o-pri-to, rami appane, sami ruca, suija, tupamaqui, and yagé. The Peruvian Matsigenka call it 'irorovampashi pijuri' (Psychotria of the Bat) and y'akomamamshi' (Anaconda leaf). Known as chacruna by the Shibipo on the upper and middle Ucayali and town dwellers in Iquitos.
Tribal Use:
Psychotria viridis is considered to be dangerous and used only by witches according to the Matsigenka. The Kofán of eastern Ecuador add its leaves and young shoots to yáje. The Machiguenga people of Peru use juice from the leaves as eye drops to treat migraine headaches. Vegetalistas, the healers in the Amazon regions of Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, recognize different sub-varieties of Psychotria viridis, based on the location of glands on the back of the leaves. Traditionally, among many ancient cultures and in many current countries throughout South America, it has been and still is used in shamanic herbal concoctions often called Ayahuasca, which is used in shaman training as a aid to enter the Spirit World and talk to various Plant Spirits. Even under the guidance of a master shaman, deaths have been confirmed in South America from its legal use. The plant is legal in nearly all parts of the world, not just South America. The seeds are legal everywhere that we know of.
This page is Copyright 2012-2024
Psychotria viridis has been reported to have the following various tribal names:
Reinha, Folha, Chacrona, amiruca panga, amurucapanga (Ecuador), chacruna (Peru), kawa, kawa kui (a recognized variety), o-pri-to, rami appane, sami ruca, suija, tupamaqui, and yagé. The Peruvian Matsigenka call it 'irorovampashi pijuri' (Psychotria of the Bat) and y'akomamamshi' (Anaconda leaf). Known as chacruna by the Shibipo on the upper and middle Ucayali and town dwellers in Iquitos.
Tribal Use:
Psychotria viridis is considered to be dangerous and used only by witches according to the Matsigenka. The Kofán of eastern Ecuador add its leaves and young shoots to yáje. The Machiguenga people of Peru use juice from the leaves as eye drops to treat migraine headaches. Vegetalistas, the healers in the Amazon regions of Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, recognize different sub-varieties of Psychotria viridis, based on the location of glands on the back of the leaves. Traditionally, among many ancient cultures and in many current countries throughout South America, it has been and still is used in shamanic herbal concoctions often called Ayahuasca, which is used in shaman training as a aid to enter the Spirit World and talk to various Plant Spirits. Even under the guidance of a master shaman, deaths have been confirmed in South America from its legal use. The plant is legal in nearly all parts of the world, not just South America. The seeds are legal everywhere that we know of.
This page is Copyright 2012-2024
|
Photo Gallery 1:
Dry Chacruna Seeds
Chacruna Plants, copyright Kadasgarden
|
Fresh, Whole Chacruna seeds
Freshly picked Chacruna leaves
|
Plant Genus: Psychotria
Species: viridis
Synonym: Psychotria psychotriaefolia
Flower: Small, white.
Fruit: Bilocular, globular-ovoid, red berry to 0.5cm, each containing two seeds.
Native Distribution: Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and beyond.
Foliage: Elliptic, dark green, smooth, glossy, and evergreen. Definitely glossy.
Height: Small tree or large bush.
Form: Perennial.
Habitat: Full shade to partial filtered light (i.e., at the bottom of a jungle canopy).
Soil: A mix of 50% Coco coir and 30% peat and 20% potting soil is often used. A custom mix of 50% coco powder (powdered coco coir), 20% potting soil, 10% pumice, 10% perlite, and 10% sand also works. A soil mix of 1/3 peat moss, 1/3perlite, and 1/3 sand also works. A mix of 20% soil from the ground which is a clay based soil (hard), 70% coco powder (powdered coco coir) and 10% pumice or perlite is preferred by some growers. Soggy soil will rot seeds and roots. Any soil mix must be well drained.
Water: Daily water with high humidity.
Uses: Spiritual insight and healing: the South American shaman's Ayahuasca herbal brew (mixed with Banisteriopsis caapi).
Minimum Temperature: 40F. Prefers temps above 60F at all times.
USDA zone: 10 or warmer; NO frost! Thrives outdoors in the USA in areas with NO frost only. Specifically, in southern Florida, southern Texas, and with overhang in San Diego, CA.
Propagation from seed is extremely difficult, but possible. The germination rate can be as low as 1% to 10%. Having fresh seed is important. Germination typically takes a minimum of two months. Best results are from cuttings.
Psychotria viridis is cultivated in sandy loam - light soils with good drainage. As a rainforest plant, it likes high humidity and bright filtered light.
Indoor hydroponic cultivation of Psychotria viridis requires a light cycle. The plant will not utilize its root system as often in daylight hours. Optimal water garden pH is 5.5 to 6.10.
How to grow Chacruna from seeds:
- Soak the Psychotria viridis seeds for about 15 minutes in a mild bleach solution (2 Tbs bleach in a cup {8 oz)}of water). This will help keep them from molding during their long germination period.
- Rinse and soak the seeds in clear water for 12 hrs.
- Plant seeds in potting soil about 1/4 inch deep (8 mm).
- Put the whole pot in a ziplock bag for mini-greenhouse effect, if that is your only option. Best if you have a waterproof heating pad below a tray of soil, with a tall humidity dome over it, and artificial light to sprout the seeds.
- Keep the temp around 70-80 degrees F. (22-28 degrees C.)
- Keep out of direct sun.
- Soggy soil will rot the seeds. Keep watered and/or humid, but not soggy.
- Be patient! It can take as little as six to as many as 16 weeks or more for germination! Seed propagation is frequently not successful. Chacruna germination rates are very low.
Help from a free YouTube video (NO affiliation with this site):
|
|
|
(The following is Re-printed from a saved page of the now defunct Kadasgarden.com)
Seed Cultivation:
When you buy new plants, especially from other areas that have different environmental conditions, it is important to adjust the environment slowly for the plant to avoid excessive stress. Things like a wild swing in temperature, water, humidity or light are especially risky to plants changing locations.
Psychotria viridis is a shade loving tropical plant that does quite well under the cover of larger trees. It likes temperatures above 20C at all times (it can survive much lower but does not prefer it) and have a fairly rich soil with high humidity.
Plants should be potted up in a loose soil mixture that allows good air spaces. Coco coir and peat are good when mixed with a soil a little more rich in a roughly 50/50 ratio, as long as it does not become soggy. With new plants, it is important not to add much compost that isn’t fully finished. Adding a lot of fungal activity to the pot with dead organic debris can cause root problems with stressed plants, especially in cases of over watering. A mix of 20% soil from the ground which is a clay based soil (hard), 70% coco powder (powdered coco coir) and 10% pumice or perlite is preferred. Coarse washed sand would also work, though not as well. Plant the plant into this mix after already being moistened and drained of excessive water, hand squeezing works well.
It is important to keep the soil moist, but not soggy and do not allow it to dry out when this new. Place the plant into a humidity chamber, or place a homemade one over the pot. Two liter clear plastic bottles work well for small plants. Cut the bottom of the bottle off and remove any labels. After washing and removing the lid, place the bottle over the pot. It is best to remove once daily to provide fresh air to the plant, since stagnant air will promote fungal contaminants, which lead to rot. Temperatures should be maintained in the 70-75 F range if possible, but they will slowly grow over 10C, though with a lower rate of success.
Acclimation times will vary according to climate, but allow 3-4 weeks at least to make sure. Very dry climates may have trouble growing Psychotria viridis successfully, but they will grow if lots of water is sprayed on them or they are grown with shade-producing plants or in humidity tents.
Starts from stem, Root and/or Leaf Cuttings:
Cultivation from cuttings is easy. A single leaf (or even part of a leaf slightly covered with soil) can be sufficient for a cutting. Psychotira viridis is one of few species of plants that are able to successfully be propagated via leaf cuttings. Leaves are broken from the stem and placed in water near a low-medium light source. Plants will grow from the veins of the leaf, and many people will crack the mid-vein on the leaf to promote more roots and plantlets to form. Keep cuttings above 70F and out of direct sunlight for best results. Leaf cuttings often take 6-12 weeks before plants can be planted into soil on their own.
Stem cuttings with Psychotria viridis are also very easy and have the added benefit of starting to grow right away, making them far faster than leaf cuttings. Procedure is the same, although stem cuttings do better in soil from the start than do leaf cuttings. Both can be struck in water or in soil, with many different fashions of cutting techniques being used. Stem cuttings take 3-8 weeks to be ready to be potted into soil.
Root cuttings appear more difficult unless the root is quite old and thick, almost stem-like. Older plants will send out new stems underground.
Psychotria viridis is a very easily propagated plant from both leaf and stem cuttings. In both cases, simple sitting in clean water will root the plants very consistently, as will other propagation methods in soil and hydroponic type setups.
The growing problems that may occur are:
- Sunburn from exposure to high intensity light:
Never place in direct sunlight, under a fluorescent light is plenty. - Browning of the leaves often caused by low humidity:
Raise the humidity. - Algae growing in the water causing root rot/damage/poor growth:
Remove nutrition source from water, keep rooting area dark.
Grafting:
Grafting Psychotria viridis can be done. Rooting leaf cuttings is the best method of propagation.
|
Photo Gallery 2:
Plant and Berries; Copyright, Erowid.org
Copyright, Kadas Garden
|
Chacruna flowers
Copyright, Kadas Garden
|