Stevia plants - Stevia rebaudiana or ' Sugar Plant'

Stevia plants are best known for Stevia rebaudiana or ' Sugar Plant'. Stevia plants used as 'sugar plants' ( stevia rebaundiana) have been used as 'sweeteners' for many years in South America and is very popular in Japan.

Growing Stevia Plants

Stevia or 'sugar plant' does best in frost free warm areas and prefers a humus rich moist but well drained soil. It will reach around 1m and in commercial growing the whole plant is harvested. In cooler areas, if left it will die right back in winter and hopefully regrow in spring.

Stevia can be grown from seeds or more usually from tubestock or small plants available by mail order as germination of seeds is a little sporadic. It should also be noted that many plants are grown from cuttings of impoved varieties and forms.