How to grow Stevia?
- Latin Family: Asteraceae
- Latin Genus: Stevia
- Ease of Growing: Moderate
- Growing Type: Perennial
Stevia is widely grown for its sweet leaves and is commonly used as a natural sweetener in foods and drinks. It has 300x the sweetness of sugar, and should be used in moderation.
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Stevia History
The genus Stevia contains 240 varieties that are all native to South and Central America. The plant was used extensively by the Guarani people for over 1,500 years as a sweetener in yerba mate teas, and the plant has a long history of medicinal use in Paraguay and Brazil.
Soil Preference
- PH (min/max): 5.0 - 7.5
- PH Ideal (min/max): 6.0 - 7.2
Stevia prefers sandy, well-drained soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH.
How to care for Stevia?
Stevia does not like water-logged soil, which can be prevented by using raised beds or mounding soil. The plant is susceptible to breaking in windy areas, and will grow best in a protected area of your garden.
Water
Stevia does not like to dry out, but also dislikes standing water which encourages rot and disease.
Fertilizer
Stevia needs a good feed of phosphorus and potassium, and does not benefit from a high-nitrogen fertilizer (it grows quickly, but the flavor isn't as strong).
Seeds
Seed Viability: 1 - 2 years
Germination Percentage: 60.0
Stevia will produce seeds very easily. When harvesting seed, discard tan colored seeds, as they are not viable. You only want to keep the black and dark brown ones.
Light
Part shade
Grows best in full sun, although it will tolerate part shade.
Conditions:Warm, Hot
Season:Short Season, Long Season
Storage
Plants dry easily in a warm, drafty location. Hang upside down and allow to dry. After a few days, rake the leaves from the stems and store in an airtight, dry container. They will keep for up to a year.
Storage Req: Drying
Storage Temp: 60-75°F
Storage Length: 180-360 days
Problems
Lesion-Producing Fungal Disease
Stevia may be affected by two fungal diseases, Septoria steviae and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, which can both produce lesions in the plant. Stevia plants are usually full grown before these diseases appear, but as harvest time nears watch plants closely and harvest the entire crop at the first sign of disease.
Stevia Types
- Stevia
Stevia is a semi-tropical plant that thrives in warm, humid conditions. Stevia rebaudiana is the only plant in the Stevia family that has the natural sweetness to replace sugar or an artificial sweetener.
Pests
- Thrips
- Aphids
- Cutworms
- Whiteflies
- Slugs and snails
- Gophers
Diseases
- Gray Mold Botrytis Fruit Rot
- Septoria Leaf Spot
- Southern Blight
- Fusarium Wilt
- Damping Off
- Root Rot
