| Stevia
rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni
Family: Compositae (Asteraceae)
Common Names: Stevia, honey grass, sweet plant, sugar leaf
Synonym: Eupatorium rebaudianum Bertoni
Botany
· tender perennial
· native to North Eastern Paraguay
· alternate leaf arrangement on semi-woody, weak
stems that can reach 40 to 80 cms.
· small, quite sweet white flowers are arranged in
indeterminate heads
· self incompatible
· pollen can be highly allergenic
· seeds are small and dispersed in the wind via a
hairy pappus
Agronomy
· transplants can be produced by cuttings or seed
· does best in light to medium textured soils
· moderate soil fertility is best
· frequent light irrigation might be necessary during
dry spells
· plants are harvested whole just prior to flowering,
usually mid-September
· plants can be dried at temperatures up to 100oC
Properties and Uses
· the sweet compounds of the plant are found in the
leaf
· used as high-potency low-calorie sweetener
· used in food products in Japan, Brazil, China
· used by the Guarani native people indigenous to
Paraguay to sweeten bitter drinks such as mate.
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