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Stevia spp.

Asteraceae

Warm temperate and tropical Americas

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunFull Sun

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Stevia spp. is a genus of about 200 species in the daisy family (Asteraceae), made up of perennials and small subshrubs native to the warm temperate and tropical Americas, from the southern United States through Mexico to South America. Plants are upright and branching, mostly 1-3 ft (0.3-0.9 m) tall, with paired or alternate, often toothed leaves and woody-based stems in the shrubbier species. Small flower heads, each holding about five white to pale pink florets, are gathered into broad, flat-topped clusters at the stem tips from late summer into autumn. The genus includes the sweetleaf (S. rebaudiana), whose leaves contain steviol glycosides many times sweeter than sugar and are grown and processed as a sweetener. Most species grow on open slopes, grassland, and scrub in well-drained ground. They are generally frost-tender, dying back or dying out where winters are cold. Several species are weedy in disturbed ground within their native range.

Native Range

Native to the warm temperate and tropical Americas, from the southwestern United States and Mexico through Central America to South America, with many species in Mexico and the Andes. The sweetleaf S. rebaudiana comes from the highlands of Paraguay and Brazil.

Suggested Uses

The sweetleaf (S. rebaudiana) is grown in herb gardens, containers, and greenhouses for its sweet leaves, used fresh or dried as a sugar substitute. Other species are grown in warm-climate borders and naturalistic plantings for their late white flowers. In cold regions the tender species are kept as container plants moved under cover for winter.

How to Identify

Recognized by upright, branching stems with paired or alternate toothed leaves and flat-topped clusters of small white flower heads in late summer and autumn. Each head holds only about five tubular florets, and the seeds bear a small tuft of bristles for wind dispersal. In the sweetleaf S. rebaudiana, the leaves taste intensely sweet when chewed, which sets it apart from related white-flowered composites.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 3'

Width/Spread1' - 2'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Summer Fall

Flowering comes late in the season, from late summer into autumn (August-October), as day length shortens. The small white heads draw bees, flies, and other small insects. Seed ripens soon after and is carried on the wind by the bristly tufts.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

White to pale pink

Foliage Description

Green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow in full sun in light, well-drained, moderately fertile soil with steady but not heavy moisture through the growing season. Most species are frost-tender and grown as annuals or lifted over winter where frost is hard; the sweetleaf is hardy only in USDA zones 9-11. Soggy soil rots the roots, while very dry soil checks growth and triggers early flowering. The sweetleaf is harvested for its leaves before flowering, when their sweetness is highest. Plants are pinched while young to build bushy, leafy growth. In cold areas they are raised fresh from seed or cuttings each year.

Pruning

Stems are pinched or trimmed while young to build bushy, leafy plants, especially on the sweetleaf grown for its leaves. Flowering shoots are cut back to prolong leaf production, since sweetness drops once the plants bloom. Frost-killed top growth is cleared in cold climates as the plants die down.