Stevia
Stevia rebaudiana
Stevia is a tender South American herb whose leaves are intensely sweet yet virtually calorie-free, making it a popular natural sugar substitute. The fresh leaves can be chewed straight from the plant.
- Light
- Full sun to bright light
- Water
- Regular; keep lightly moist, not soggy
- Difficulty
- Moderate
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Overview
Stevia is a tender perennial in the daisy family (Asteraceae), grown for its leaves, which contain steviol glycosides that taste many times sweeter than sugar with almost no calories. A single fresh leaf chewed straight from the plant has a noticeably sweet taste.
Native to South America, it forms a bushy plant 30-80 cm tall. It is frost-tender, so in most climates it is grown as an annual or kept indoors over winter. The leaves are the source of the natural sweeteners now sold worldwide.
How to identify it
- Leaves: Small, lance-shaped, slightly toothed, bright green, in opposite pairs; intensely sweet when tasted
- Habit: Bushy, branching herb 30-80 cm tall
- Flowers: Tiny white tubular blooms in loose clusters; flavor in the leaves is best before flowering
- Stems: Slender, branching, becoming woody at the base
- Key test: Chewing a leaf gives an immediate, lingering sweetness, sometimes with a faint licorice aftertaste
Care & growing
- Light: Full sun to bright light for the sweetest leaves
- Water: Regular; keep the soil lightly moist but not soggy, as it dislikes both drought and waterlogging
- Soil: Light, well-drained, loamy soil
- Temperature: Frost-tender; perennial only in roughly zones 9-11, grown as an annual or overwintered indoors elsewhere
- Feeding: Light, low-nitrogen feeding; excess nitrogen reduces sweetness
- Propagation: From cuttings (most reliable) or seed, which germinates erratically; pinch tips to keep it bushy and harvest before flowering
Habitat & origin
Stevia is native to the highlands of Paraguay and Brazil, where the Guaraní people have used it as a sweetener (calling it ka'a he'ê, 'sweet herb') for centuries. In the wild it grows in semi-humid, subtropical conditions on the edges of marshes and grasslands.
It is now cultivated commercially around the world, with major production in China, Paraguay and other warm regions, to supply the natural-sweetener industry.
Uses & benefits
Stevia's leaves are used fresh, dried, or processed into refined extracts as a natural, calorie-free sweetener, popular with people managing sugar intake, diabetes or weight. Dried crushed leaves can sweeten teas and drinks directly.
Commercially, purified steviol glycosides (such as rebaudioside A) sweeten countless 'no-sugar' beverages, foods and tabletop sweeteners. Because it does not raise blood glucose, it is widely promoted as a sugar alternative, though some find a slight licorice or bitter aftertaste.
Frequently asked questions
How much sweeter is stevia than sugar?
The pure steviol glycosides in the leaves are roughly 50 to 300 times sweeter than sugar, while the whole dried leaf is more modestly sweet. A little goes a long way.
Can I use stevia leaves straight from the plant?
Yes. You can chew a fresh leaf, or dry and crush the leaves to sweeten teas and drinks. The flavor is strongest just before the plant flowers.
Does stevia raise blood sugar?
No, steviol glycosides are not metabolized for energy and do not raise blood glucose, which is why stevia is popular as a sugar substitute, though you should consult a doctor about your own diet.
Will stevia survive winter outdoors?
Only in frost-free climates (zones 9-11). In colder areas grow it as an annual or bring it indoors to a bright spot before frost.
Stevia guides
In-depth guides for identifying, growing, and caring for Stevia.
