Perennial in USDA zones 9-11; otherwise grown as an annual. Now you can grow your own calorie-free, carbohydrate-free, low-glycemic sweetener at home! Stevia is up to 300 times as sweet as sugar, so a little goes a long way. Some say the leaves have a licorice aftertaste, which may be a bonus if you love the flavor. The bushy 18 - 30 tall plants can be grown in 10 - 12 diameter containers, and pinched back to maintain desired height. Grow in full sun or part shade. Leaves are sweetest just before the plant flowers in late summer to fall. Stevia is grown as an annual in all but tropical climates.
