Posts by matzie

Kanna: the wonder of Africa

Meet kanna. Raised under the South-African sun. Venerated by local inhabitants long before the first colonists and explorers arrived.

The succulent herb Sceletium tortuosum, known for its mood-uplifting qualities, originally only grew in one particular area, named ‘Kannaland’.

Every year at the end of season the Khoihkhoi and San tribes gathered for its harvest. A fermentation process of a week transformed the plant into the famous chewing substance: ‘the greatest Chearer of the Spirits, and the noblest Restorative in the World,’ as one explorer markedly put. map_africa

Traditionally kanna had a vast array of purposes: both in ritual and daily life.

More recently western scientists found its main alkaloids function as serotonin reuptake inhibitors. That’s why, like medically prescribed antidepressants, kanna enhances the mood, soothes anxiety and alleviates worries and stress.

Sceletium tortuosum is gaining worldwide popularity for both medical and recreational purposes.

On this website you will find everything you want to know about this miraculous plant with its white, thread-like petals. From its history and traditional use to its discovery by the western world and its transformation into a prescription medicine and recreational drug.

Read about kanna’s botanical information, its effects and ways of ­use. Delve into its chemistry or study our recommendations for cultivation and preparation. Did you ever try kanna? At kanna experiences you can read personal experiences by kanna users and even share your adventures with this herb.

Straight from the arid regions of southern Africa to you: welcome to the wondrous world of Sceletium tortuosum.