Editing Kava (section)

==== Growing regions ====
In Vanuatu, exportation of kava is strictly regulated. Only cultivars classified as noble are allowed to be exported. Only the most desirable cultivars for everyday drinking are classified as noble to maintain quality control. In addition, their laws mandate that exported kava must be at least five years old and farmed organically. Their most common noble cultivars are "Borogu" or "Borongoru" from [[Pentecost Island]], "Melomelo" from [[Aoba Island]] (called ''Sese'' in the north [[Pentecost Island]]), and "Palarasul" kava from [[Espiritu Santo]]. In Vanuatu, Tudei ("two-day") kava is reserved for special ceremonial occasions and exporting it is not allowed. "Palisi" is a common Tudei variety.

In Hawaii, there are many other cultivars of kava ({{langx|haw|ʻawa}}). Some of the most common cultivars are ''Mahakea'', ''Moʻi'', ''Hiwa'', and ''Nene''. The ''[[Aliʻi]]'' (kings) of [[Ancient Hawaii|precolonial Hawaii]] coveted the ''Moʻi'' variety, which had a strong cerebral effect due to a predominant amount of the kavalactone [[kavain]]. This sacred variety was so important to them that no one but royalty could ever experience it, "lest they suffer an untimely death". The reverence for Hiwa in old Hawaiʻi is evident in this portion of a chant recorded by [[Nathaniel Bright Emerson]] and quoted by E. S. Craighill and Elizabeth Green Handy: "This refers to the cup of sacramental ʻawa brewed from the strong, black ʻawa root (ʻawa hiwa), which was drunk sacramentally by the kumu hula":

{{Blockquote|<poem>
The day of revealing shall see what it sees: 
A seeing of facts, a sifting of rumors, 
An insight won by the black sacred 'awa, 
A vision like that of a god!<ref name=JohnstonRogers/></poem>}}

Winter describes a [[hula]] prayer for inspiration that contains the line, ''He ʻike pū ʻawa hiwa.'' Pukui and Elbert translated this as "a knowledge from kava offerings". Winter explains that ʻawa, especially of the Hiwa variety, was offered to hula deities in return for knowledge and inspiration.<ref name=JohnstonRogers>{{Cite book |url=http://www.awadevelopment.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/awabook-web-part-1-of-2.pdf |title=Hawaiian ʻawa: views of an ethnobotanical treasure |last1=Johnston |first1=Ed |last2=Rogers |first2=Helen |last3=Association for Hawaiian ʻAwa|date=2006-01-01 |publisher=Association for Hawaiian ʻAwa |location=Hilo, Hawaii|page=34|language=en|oclc = 77501873}}</ref>

More recently, specialized kava varieties have been introduced to [[South Florida]] which have been acclimated and adapted to grow well in South Florida's unique soil and climate and have significant resistance to pest and disease pressures. As of 2024, cultivation of these varieties is limited to a small number of commercial farms and backyard growers.