Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni

Common Name: Sweetleaf
Family: Asteraceae Giseke

Country of Origin: valley of Rio Monday in northeastern Paraguay
Habitat: edges of marshland on acid infertile sand or muck soils

Description: Stevia has an alternate leaf arrangement and herbaceous to semi-woody growth habit with flowers arranged in indeterminate heads. The flowers are small and white with a pale purple throat. The pollen can be highly allergenic. Stevia is self-incompatible and probably insect pollinated, the seeds are small, have very little endosperm and are dispersed in the wind via a hairy pappus.

Uses: This tropical herb was discovered in Paraguay where it has been used for centuries as a natural sweetener for yerba mate tea. Stevia is a healthy alternative to sugar or artificial sugar substitutes. This all-natural sweetener has zero calories, zero carbohydrates and a zero glycemic index. ⁵
Properties/Actions: antibacterial, anticandidal, antifungal, antiviral, cardiotonic, diuretic, hypoglycemic, vasodilator.

USDA Zone: 8a-11

Accession Data:

Accession # 201700068
Source: Logees Greenhouse
Accession Date: 08-08-2017
Bench: 1304 - NEOA: North Bench W
- Currently: active - healthy
- Qty: 1 confirmed on 12-01-2023

Classification:

Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
SubClass: euasterid II
Order: Asterales
SubOrder:
Family: Asteraceae
SubFamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Eupatorieae
SubTribe: Piqueriinae

Flowering Data:

This accession has been observed in bloom on:

Year	Jan				Feb				Mar					Apr				May				Jun					Jul				Aug				Sep					Oct				Nov				Dec
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017

References (internal):

Spice Plants

EEB Greenhouse Holdings native to: Paraguay

References (external):

Stevia FAQ Website
The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Last accessed on Tuesday, August 08, 2017.
The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs, Leslie Taylor, 2005.
Image #00 (Cropped) & #01 (original) by Ethel Aardvark (Own work) [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Last accessed on Tuesday, August 08, 2017.
Sweetleaf at Logees Greenhouse. Last accessed on Tuesday, August 08, 2017.

data regenerated on Thu, 01 Feb 2024 13:12:26 -0500 [bcm v4.0]