Full Sun
ORPartial Sun
Medium
Suppost to be zone 11 and up, but it has been reported to die back to ground in zone 8 and reemerge in spring. Don’t overwater, likes well-drained soil, does well in pots and can be grown all year with proper care.
May survive frost, with covering. Extend the growing season in cold areas by using blankets, cold frames, greenhouses, or bringing inside.
Sow seed on surface of soil.
When plants are large enough to handle, transplant into 3" pots and keep indoors until nighttime temps are regularly above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ensure that temperatures are mild (minimum night temperatures should be around -6°C / 21°F) and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Stevia is a tender plant.Seed saving – Seeds can be harvested when seed heads are fluffy and light. Gather before they blow away.
Pick leave from the plant and wash. Use immediately in any of the ways mentioned below or dry for use later. When dried Stevia leaves should remain green.
Dried & powdered the leaves are used as a substitute for sugar. In theory one teaspoon of stevia or less is equivalent to about 1 cup sugar. Some people notice a slight after-taste, while others do not.2
A liquid sweetener is made by pouring 1 quart of boiling water over 1 tablespoon dried leaves and leaving to infuse. Refrigerate and use within a few days or freeze for later.2
To make a syrup, place 4 teaspoons dried powdered leaves in a saucepan with 2 cups water, simmer slowly for 10-15 minutes. Cool and refrigerate. A teaspoon of Vitamin C powder may be added to act as a preservative.2
An extract can be made by combining 1 cup vodka with 3/4 cup fresh stevia leaves in a jar. Shake every day for 2 weeks, then filter through a coffee filter. Add a drop to beverages.
An infusion of fresh or dried leaves can be drunk as a beverage, hot or cold, or added to other herbs as a sweetener.
If using fresh leaves to replace dried quantities listed above, multiply the amount 5 times.2
Approximately 6 large leaves chopped finely is a substitute for 1/2 cup of sugar for baking or in cooked recipes. 1 teaspoon of ground stevia is equal to 1 cup of sugar; 2 drops of liquid essence is equal to 1 teaspoon sugar.2
These estimates for how long Stevia takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.
Average 7 days | Min 1 days | Max 17 days (23)
Average 2 days | Min 1 days | Max 88 days (3)
Average 91 days | Min 72 days | Max 106 days (4)
First commercial crop was harvested in 1908.3
Honey leaf, Sweet leaf, Sugar leaf, Sweetleaf, Sugarleaf, Honeyleaf, Kaa-he-e,
Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni
Misspellings: steavia, stavia, stevia rebaudana