Can I grow this indoors?

Yes, but it requires very high humidity and supplemental lighting to thrive.

How fast does it grow?

It is a relatively fast grower when provided with optimal heat and moisture.

Plant guide

Kratom.

Mitragyna speciosa

Pronounced mi-tra-GY-na spe-see-OH-sa

Also known as kratom

Mitragyna speciosa — Photo by John Howes (CC BY) via gbif

This tropical evergreen tree is native to Southeast Asia and belongs to the coffee family. It thrives in humid, warm environments with plenty of moisture. You will find it grows quite large in its natural habitat.

Another photo of Kratom — Photo by Ravuri Krishna Chaitanya (CC BY) via iNaturalist

At a glance

Care level: Difficult
Plant type: Tropical tree
Light: Bright indirect light
Indoor light: Bright indirect
Water: Every 2 to 4 days
Mature size: 30 to 50 feet in nature
Growth rate: Medium
Hardiness: USDA 10 to 12
Bloom time: Late summer to autumn

Care

Keep the soil consistently moist and provide high humidity to mimic its native rainforest home. Watch for yellowing leaves which often signal a lack of humidity or improper soil moisture. It is quite sensitive to cold temperatures and dry air.

Watering: Keep the soil evenly moist but never waterlogged.
Feeding: Use a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.
Pruning: Trim back branches to maintain size and encourage bushier growth.
Repotting: Repot when the roots fill the container or the growth slows down.
Soil: Rich, well draining, acidic soil
Soil pH: 5.5 to 6.5
Temperature: 15 to 35°C
Humidity: 60 to 90%
Drought tolerance: Low
Lifespan: Perennial, can live for many decades in ideal conditions.
Fragrance: Light
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
Water running straight through the pot without soaking in.
Stunted growth during the active season.

Safety

People: The leaves contain alkaloids that act on the central nervous system and may cause adverse effects.
Children: Keep this plant out of reach of children due to the potential for ingestion of leaves.
Contact allergens: Handling the leaves may cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.
Airborne allergens: Pollen may trigger mild respiratory sensitivity during the flowering season.
Edibility: Consumption of this plant is associated with significant health risks and legal restrictions in many jurisdictions.

How to identify it

Glossy dark green oval leaves
Small yellow globular flower clusters
Deeply veined leaf surfaces
Can reach tree proportions
Opposite leaf arrangement

Height: 3 to 15m
Spread: 2 to 6m
Leaves: green, evergreen
Flowers: yellow, 2 to 4cm
Fruit: brown, Autumn

Problems to watch for

Spider mites · Tiny pests that thrive in low humidity and cause stippling on leaves.
Root rot · Occurs when soil remains waterlogged for extended periods.

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

Check your kratom from a photo

Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your plant and tells you what's wrong and what to try first.

Growing it

Propagation: cuttings, seed
When to plant: spring, summer
Overwintering: Move the plant indoors before temperatures drop below 15 degrees Celsius. Provide supplemental light and keep the soil consistently moist throughout the winter months.
In containers: It grows well in large containers, but you must ensure the pot is at least 40 centimeters wide to accommodate root growth.

Stem Cuttings

Take a 15 centimeter cutting from a healthy green stem.
Remove the lower leaves and dip the cut end in rooting hormone.
Place the cutting in a moist, well draining potting mix.
Cover with a plastic bag to maintain high humidity until roots form.

Group this plant with other tropical species to help maintain a localized humid microclimate.

Grows well with

Elephant Ear · They share similar requirements for high humidity and consistent moisture.
Ginger · It thrives in the same warm, shaded tropical conditions.

Similar species

Coffee · Both are members of the Rubiaceae family and share similar growth habits.

Science

Family: Rubiaceae
Genus: Mitragyna
Order: Gentianales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Conservation: It is not currently listed as endangered, but wild populations face pressure from habitat loss and overharvesting.

It grows naturally in humid, tropical environments often near water sources where it can access consistent moisture.

Value to wildlife: nectar source
Pollinators: bees, butterflies
Uses: ornamental, botanical collection

Through the year

JFMAMJJASOND

Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 1/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 7/9
Temperature: 9/9
Moisture: 8/9
Nutrients: 6/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Can I grow this indoors?: Yes, but it requires very high humidity and supplemental lighting to thrive.
How fast does it grow?: It is a relatively fast grower when provided with optimal heat and moisture.

Where the name comes from

The genus name Mitragyna refers to the stigma of the flower which resembles a bishop's mitre, while the species name speciosa means showy or beautiful.

Good to know

It is native to Southeast Asia.
The tree can grow quite large in its natural tropical habitat.
It thrives in riverbanks and swampy areas in the wild.

Keep your kratom growing

This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.

Get the app

This guide was generated with AI on October 24, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.