Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)

Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) is a unique culinary herb prized for its naturally sweet leaves, which contain plant compounds that are many times sweeter than sugar without adding calories. Native to South America, Stevia has been cultivated for centuries as a natural sweetener and is an excellent choice for gardeners looking to grow their own sugar alternative. Fresh or dried leaves can be used to sweeten tea, coffee, lemonade, smoothies, fruit dishes, desserts, sauces, and homemade herbal blends.

Stevia develops into a compact, bushy plant with bright green, serrated leaves that can be harvested continuously throughout the growing season. Small white flowers appear in late summer, attracting bees, butterflies, and other beneficial pollinators. For the highest leaf production and sweetest flavour, flower buds are often pinched off to encourage continued vegetative growth.

This warm-season herb thrives in fertile, well-drained soil and full sun, making it an excellent addition to herb gardens, raised beds, decorative containers, patio planters, and edible landscapes. Its compact habit also makes it easy to grow indoors in a bright window during colder months.

In Alberta, Stevia is typically grown as an annual outdoors or can be brought indoors before frost to continue producing sweet leaves throughout the winter.