Kratom itself is a tropical tree that grows in certain Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Borneo. The leaves of this tree can be harvested and dried, and these dried leaves are what people are referring to when they talk about “kratom.”

In regions where the tree grows native, these leaves have been used for hundreds of years as a traditional botanical. Teas that are made from the leaves were also used in many different types of ceremonies.

Today, traditional usage of these leaves is less common, and kratom use is not as common as it once was in those areas. In the last ten to twenty years, however, kratom use around the world has increased exponentially.