coca leaf size and concentration

[Benga]

hello all


this is a slightly tricky question. Does anyone know if a correlation between leave size and alkaloid concentration has been highlighted ?


Do bigger leaves contain less alkaloids than smaller leaves as in some plants or would it be the oppposite ?


thanks for your info

[EarnestAccord]

BUMP. SWIM has been wondering the same thing. In the readings that I have done picking the new growth is the method of harvest. Why I'm not sure but if we can generalize from the tea industry, who do the same thing..... "The younger the tea leaves, the more caffeine will be produced in the tea. The most prized part of green tea is the terminal bud and the adjacent two leaves, also called the tea flush. They are the sweetest, but also contain the most caffeine." ???

[Benga]

yes. And particularly strong strains of coca seem to have smaller leaves. this seems to be a constant. swim forgot the exact name but there is term in spanish for small coca leaves.

[fleetwood1956]

If coca is grown at low alititude the plant is bigger and I believe the leaf is also bigger but the cocaine content is smaller. Higher alititude plants are smaller but cocaine content is higher. Sorry for spelling

[AceOvArts]

but what is an average leaf size

[EarnestAccord]

Well, SWIM has a plant growing outside in NorCal right now and after a full summer of growth with no picking the largest leaves are about the size of a dollar bill.

[Benga]

small size mature leaves swim has seen are about 2 cm in diameter, almost round.
the "small leaf" variety had a very distinct round shape.
It really depends on the strain though, coca from the Amazon basin is grown a lower altitude and quite potent, but from what swim remembers with small leaves ( could also be light related)

b

[EarnestAccord]

Makes me question what SWIM has? SWIM's sound way too big.

[Benga]

most coca leaves are way bigger. swim was talking about small leaf varieties, cocquilla or something, don't remember. Coca leaves the size of laurel leaves are perfectly normal, only smaller leaes tend to be stronger.