Sativa - Stevia – Seeds

• Natural sweetness: A single leaf is often enough to sweeten a whole pot of tea or a dessert.
• Compact growth: By regularly removing the shoot tips, the plant branches out better and grows bushier, which significantly increases the leaf yield.
• Harvest tip: The leaves have the highest sweetness just before flowering in late summer. They can be used fresh or dried and ground into powder for winter storage.

Cultivation & Care

Stevia is somewhat more demanding to grow in our climate, but rewards the effort with a bountiful harvest:

• Cultivation (light-dependent germination): The seeds are extremely fine and require plenty of light to germinate. They should therefore not be covered with soil (sowing depth 0 cm). For successful germination (within 2–3 weeks), constant temperatures of around 20 °C and a light duration of about 16 hours are ideal (use a grow light if necessary).
• Location: Prefers warm and nutrient-rich spots. Important: Although the plant likes light, it should not be exposed to the hot midday sun, as the delicate leaves may otherwise burn.
• Life cycle: Perennial in its native habitat, it is not hardy in our climate. However, it can be overwintered indoors in a pot in a bright, cool spot (approx. 10–15 °C).

Key plant details

• Botanical name: Stevia rebaudiana
• Lifespan: Perennial (sensitive to frost, must be overwintered indoors)
• Sowing depth: 0 cm (requires light to germinate!)
• Spacing within the row: 20–40 cm
• Spacing between rows: 40–60 cm
• Nutrient requirements: Low (fertilise sparingly, as too much nitrogen dilutes the flavour)

Culinary uses

• Fresh: Simply add a leaf to tea, coffee or a smoothie.
• Dried: The dried leaves can be ground into an excellent green ‘sweetening powder’ that keeps for a long time.
• Extract: You can also make your own liquid extract (stevia syrup) by boiling the leaves in water.