Where does Salvia Divinorum grow naturally?

Question

Yes, yes, I know you can buy it from smokeshops, or buy seeds, or buy the plant. But I'm wondering if it grows naturally anywhere else than Mexico. I live in Washington and I have a friend that harvests it, but I think he's bullshitting.

And no anti-drug lectures s.v.p.

Answer 1

Salvia divinorum is native to certain areas in the Sierra Mazateca of Oaxaca, Mexico. That's the only place I could fnd that grows it naturally. Also I don't know of your friend is lying or not but I did read a article on how to grow it yourself. All you need is the seeds but they are very rare and very expensive. Here is the article on how to grow it. Sorry it's so long.

The best way to grow Salvia divinorum is to choose a place outdoors that is mostly shady, cool, and humid. While S. divinorum can be grown in hot sunny locations (once acclimated), it does not thrive in these situations. Using shade cloth may be appropriate. Soil should be rich and well-draining. If grown in containers, the largest container possible is the best choice, as S. divinorum likes to have a lot of root room. One person has even suggested that plastic "kiddie pools" make good pots. In dry areas, an automated misting system that comes on for one minute every hour (during daylight hours), or even two or three times per day, is one of the best ways to provide the humidity that S. divinorum loves. S. divinorum can grow quite tall, and may need to be supported with stakes eventually. Alternately, cuttings can be taken from the tops of the plants, the two side branches at the node below the cutting will become the new growing tips, and the plant will bush out. S. divinorum loves to get frequent foliar feedings with fish emulsion fertilizer; such feedings produce lush, large, deep-green leaves.

The biggest problem that people have growing Salvia divinorum plants occurs within the first few weeks of obtaining the plant. S. divinorum doesn't like extreme changes in its environment. The shock of sending the plants through the mail can have adverse effects, and the odds of such effects increase the longer that the plant remains in the mail stream. For this reason, it is preferable to have the plants shipped via the fastest service offered. Some vendors offer S. divinorum as unrooted cuttings; such cuttings are even more likely to suffer when shipped, as they have no roots to bring in water, but should be very inexpensive.

If an individual purchases an unrooted cutting or makes cuttings from established plants, he or she will need to know how to root the plant. Many people find that rooting Salvia divinorum is extremely easy, simply placing one end of a cut stalk in a glass of non-chlorinated water and leaving it for a couple of weeks. But others find their cuttings wilt and die without following more careful rooting technique. Rooting plants is generally something that is done indoors. It is preferable to use bottled, distilled water and a sterile cutting tool. A cutting with at least two "nodes" on it (where the new stems are produced as side-shoots) is placed into a glass of water, and the water is changed once a day. It is best to take the cutting just below a node. Another way to increase the speed of bushing is to take cuttings with side branches, root them in water, and then plant them in soil with the side branches buried.

The plant likes misting several times a day; keeping it in a humid location such as in a bathroom where a shower is frequently used may be a good idea. Some people use humidity tents, but the plant can become dependant on these environments, so they are not recommended. Misting frequently is adequate even in extremely dry locations. Within a 10 to 14 days or so, small white roots start pushing out of the stem. When these roots have reached about a 1/2 inch in length, the plant is potted in a rich, well-draining soil. The soil should be kept moist (but not soggy).

Answer 2

I just looked up a little bit on erowid and saw that it is native to Southern Mexico, which you already knew. Your friend is probably full of it. Just ask him if you can get some of the product, especially since it's becomming illegal in most of the states. Salvia isn't really a plant I have ever heard of someone trying to grow, although I am sure it will become more common as it becomes more illegal.