Stevia

Name: Stevia

Botanical Name: Stevia rebaudiana

Soil: Moist

Exposure: Full Sun.

Bloom Color: White

Description: Annual. Stevia reaches a height of about 2 feet, with many branches and attractive, slightly serrated, opposite leaves. The pretty flowers are tiny and white with a pale purple throat. Stevia likes heat and can be grown as a perennial in frost free areas. One fresh stevia leaf is enough to sweeten a cup of tea or coffee or glass of lemonade. Or add the leaves to baked beans, barbecue sauce, salad dressings, soups, and stews.

Care: Plant stevia in the garden for the summer, harvest the fresh leaves before flowering and dry them for later use. Pruning and pinching encourage bushy plants. Always pinch off flowers in order to produce the sweetest leaves.