A kratom strain often touted for its strength and balanced range of effects, Super Green Malay is a popular pick for many kratom lovers. But what actually is Super Green Malay kratom? And to dig even deeper, what’s a kratom strain? In this article, we’ll explore Super Green Malay (SGM) in great detail as well as kratom strains in general.
What is Super Green Malay Kratom?
As the name would suggest, most people claim Super Green Malay Kratom is a “super” form of Green Malay kratom. Green Malay kratom one of many green vein kratom strains, which are among the most popular choices for kratom consumers worldwide.
The name Green Malay Kratom suggests that this strain is native to—you guessed it—Malaysia. But is this actually where the kratom leaves used in Super Green Malay kratom powder or SGM kratom tea grown? Further, is Bali kratom actually grown in Bali, and is Thai kratom actually grown in Thailand?
The Mythos of Super Green Malay
The methods used to create and name kratom strains is an extremely gray area in the kratom industry, especially in the US where we’re often disconnected with the process because kratom trees grow in tropical forests and aren’t native to any regions in the country.
Related: How to Pick the Best Kratom Strain
Many people claim that kratom strains are each developed in a unique way, by selecting different ages or sizes leaves from kratom plants or by grafting two unrelated kratom trees together.
We used to think that farmers cultivate regular Green Malay by using a “shifting” method, wherein they remove the stems (which reportedly contain lower alkaloid content) before processing their final product. This supposedly leads to a more potent blend. We were told that “Super” Green Malay Kratom owes its superior status mainly to the size of the kratom leaf harvested by kratom farmers. In fact, Super Green Malay kratom is sometimes referred to by vendors as “elephant kratom,” and they say this is due to the large elephant-ear-like leaves they use to make the SGM kratom powder.
Vendors claim that farmers choose to collect only the largest leaves to produce this strain due to their maturity and elevated alkaloid content. More specifically, some vendors allege that Super Green Malay generally contains a higher concentration of 7-hydroxymitragynine (one of kratom’s main alkaloids) than a typical Green Malay strain.
Super Green Malay/Elephant Kratom Strain Reality
Are these stories about the origins of SGM or “elephant” kratom and the way that it’s made actually true? Are kratom strains (not just SGM, but all strains) real, or are they just a myth? Should you buy Super Green Malay for all the reasons mentioned above, or is it just a gimmick?
Let’s quickly address the notorious fable of kratom strains, as well as kratom vein colors.
When you hear the term “kratom strain”, your mind may wander to an ad that you’ve seen for an exotic and unique kratom flavor that you’ve never previously heard of.
After years of crafting kratom teas and working with other large vendors, we’ve found that kratom strains are more of a marketing tactic than anything else. It’s likely that over 90% of the kratom imported to the US comes from Indonesia, not Malaysia or Thailand (where, until recently, kratom was actually illegal). Even further, most of the kratom grown in Indonesia comes from the West Kalimantan region on the island of Borneo, not islands like Bali or Java or Sumatra which also have strain names associated with them.
Some vendors admit that they source kratom from Indonesia, but claim that the trees used for particular strains are genetically related to trees native to Malaysia, Thailand, and the like. Whether these claims are true is up for debate. With huge quantities of kratom being imported to the US each month, it’s hard to believe that the farmers and laborers picking kratom leaves are able to do so with the degree of specificity touted by vendors.
Because strains tend to be inconsistent between vendors and batches, and because their aren’t yet consistent methods used to produce kratom leaves with specific alkaloid contents, Top Tree Herbs has actually stopped using strains altogether. In the summer of 2023, we replaced our Super Green Malay kratom tea and our other green vein kratom varieties with “Balance,” a green vein kratom tea that doesn’t have a particular strain name.
What About SGM’s Vein Color?
Are vein colors as deceptive as strains? Is there really a difference between red vein and green vein kratom?Kratom is made from the leaves of the Mitragyna speciosa tree that grows throughout Southeast Asia. Like with most trees, kratom leaves have a prominent central vein, which transports water and nutrients throughout the leaves. Early on, some people believed that the color of the central vein and other veins running through each leaf were representative of the alkaloids it contained and effects it would have when ingested.The common thought surrounding kratom is that white vein strains of kratom have certain energizing qualities, while reds are generally thought of as a relaxing bedtime strain. Greens are thought of as an intermediate between white and red strains (but this isn’t always the case).This phenomenon is a common marketing ploy for many kratom vendors, and is not necessarily true. For starters, kratom vein stems really don’t vary in color to such a distinctive degree. For instance, you may see a bit of red on newer kratom growth but this is not some unique “red vein” kratom bush. What you are actually buying when you select a new strain is not some novel form of kratom.In fact, it’s most likely the the vein color category is determined by how the leaves are dried and fermented after they’re picked, not what the leaves look like while they’re still on the kratom trees.Each strain is sourced from kratom leaves at varying stages of maturity and processing. Farmers and processors may have a particular way of drying leaves to product green vein kratom.Vendors will then attach a strain name like “Super Green” to based one or a number of factors, from more objective assessments like the alkaloid content to subjective ones like the powder color or the effects they feel when consuming it, or arbitrary reasons like marketing. The hope is that even if a product called Super Green Malay may not come from the largest leaves or trees grown in Malaysia, it still comes from green vein kratom and has an alkaloid profile that matches other green vein kratom products.What Do We Think the Super Green Malay Strain?
For starters, the quality of a kratom product named Super Green Malay or Elephant kratom really depends on the vendor – the strain name alone doesn’t imply that the kratom powder or kratom tea is high quality. As always, you should only buy kratom from a reputable vendor who lab-tests their kratom to determine the true alkaloid profile of the strain and ensure the kratom doesn’t contain unhealthy levels of heavy metals or other contaminants.In general, kratom enthusiasts report Super Green Malay to be a pleasant, albeit stronger, hybrid between a white and red vein kratom strain.However, vein color and strain aren’t the only factors that determine kratom’s effects. While effects can vary to a slight degree due to alkaloid content, the main determining factor in getting different effects when taking kratom is undoubtedly serving size.How to Brew Kratom Tea With Super Green Malay Kratom
Kratom Brewing Ingredients:
- 1-3 SGM kratom tea bags of your choosing
- A thermos
- Lemon (or lime) juice
- Boiling water
Brewing Instructions
- Begin by placing your kratom tea bag(s) at the bottom of your thermos. Then, add in a few squeezes of your lemon (or lime) juice. The acidity of the the lemon juice will help strengthen your brew. The acidity helps with extraction of kratom’s active alkaloids from the leaves of your kratom, thus releasing them into your tea.
- Now that you’ve got your main ingredients in order, it’s time to heat up some water. Once the water is boiling, add it to your thermos. Boiling water will help to ensure that your brew will continue to steep while in your thermos, resulting in a strong and effective kratom tea. Let the tea bags steep in the mixture for 20 minutes.
Specialty Kratom Tea Recipes Made with Green Vein Kratom
What Are the Effects of Super Green Malay?
This will be a relatively short section, as effects of kratom (in any strain) can vary from vendor to vendor. Furthermore, there is debate as to which alkaloids in kratom produce a certain tangible effect.The only true way to ensure a strain’s potency and alkaloid content is to have it lab-tested by a reputable source.Rather than speculate on Super Green Malay’s potential “effects,” we’ll instead revisit what a typical SGM strain should look like. For starters, Super Green Malay is in fact a green vein strain. Typically, green vein strains are the least processed of the three main kratom veins (Green, White, Red). This is due to the fact that green vein strains do not need to go through all of the extra processing needed to achieve a white or red strain of kratom.As for effects, one should expect a true green strain of kratom to be an intermediate of a white and red vein kratom. Generally speaking, white vein strains are energizing, while red vein strains are more suitable for a nightcap brew. Super Green Malay should produce effects similar to a typical Green Malay, although it is reportedly more potent.Truthfully, there is no one ironclad process that vendors use to achieve their respective strains. With different sources for kratom and various processing methods, strains can vary considerably. This is why we stress the importance of making sure that you purchase your kratom from a reputable vendor that utilizes proper lab testing.If you’re a bit overwhelmed by the fact that kratom strains come from the same Mitragyna speciosa plant, we have more literature detailing the process of creating strains.Summing Up SGM
- Super Green Malay is a kratom strain that vendors claim is native to Malaysia. It’s said that the strain gets its name from the large mature kratom leaves used to produce the strain. This may not be true, however, as kratom strain origins are largely mythological and exaggerated.
- Different “strains” and “vein colors” of kratom do not come from unique or novel kratom plants. Rather, strains of kratom are achieved mainly via different processing methods. Various drying and blending methods are employed by vendors in order to achieve the desired final “strain.”
- Serving size and alkaloid makeup are the major determining factors of your strain’s potency and effects. This is true regardless of what strain or vein color of kratom you purchase. Always check for recommendations of proper serving instructions from a reputable vendor or source. Accordingly, buy from a vendor who has their kratom tested in a lab for quality and consistency.
- Brew using tea bags! We know that this is a matter of a personal preference. However, we recommend checking out kratom tea bags and seeing for yourself just how many benefits there are to this method of kratom consumption. You’ll thank us later!
