Botanical Interests
Candy Stevia Seeds
Candy Stevia Seeds
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Product Details
Product Details
Now you can grow your own calorie-free, carbohydrate-free, low-glycemic sweetener at home! Stevia, also called sweetleaf, is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, so a little goes a long way. Some say the leaves have a slight, pleasant, anise aftertaste. The bushy, 18"-30" tall plants can be grown in 10"-12" diameter containers. Leaves are sweetest just before the plant flowers in late summer to fall. Grown as an annual, although perennial in USDA zones 10 and warmer.
Your hardiness zone is
- Variety Info
- Sowing Info
- Growing Info
Variety Info
Family: Asteraceae
Native: Paraguay and Brazil
Hardiness: Grown as an annual, although perennial in USDA zones 10 and warmer.
Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Bloom Period: Late summer to fall
Plant Dimensions: 18"–30" tall, 18" wide
Variety Info: An upright leafy plant with brittle stems and elliptical, toothed leaves. Plants produce small, white, tubular flowers in late summer to fall.
Attributes: Good for Containers
Sowing Info
When to Sow Outside: Not recommended.
When to Start Inside: RECOMMENDED. 8 to 10 weeks before your average last frost date. Optimal soil temperature is 70°–75°F.
Days to Emerge: 7–21 days
Seed Depth: ⅛" or barely cover
Seed Spacing: 18"
Row Spacing: 20"–24"
Thinning: Not required
Growing Info
Harvesting: Best flavor (highest stevioside content) is right before the plant flowers. Harvest in the morning after dew has dried. The entire plant can be cut or pick individual leaves or branches at any growth stage. To allow growth to continue, never remove more than ⅓ of the plant at a time. In very mild climates, plant may re-grow after cutting back to 4"–6" above the base.
- Alma H.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 starsNov 18, 20245 Stars
I am so pleased with Botanical Interest. The package of stevia seeds I originally received only had approximately 6 seeds instead of 12 seeds. When I called the company and told them what had occurred, they did not hesitate to send me a replacement package. I sowed the first package of 6 seeds of which 5 germinated! I am looking forward to harvesting the leaves to use for my health benefit! I have had very good customer service with Botanical Interest. They stand behind their product integrity. Their seeds are of good quality and have a high germination rate.
Which best describes you as a gardener? Beginner - Cole B.Rated 5 out of 5 starsMar 9, 20245 Stars
I ordered these seeds last year and didn’t expect any to germinate this year, but I decided to try anyway. There was very good germination rate with them under a grow light in a humidity dome. I look forward to the stevia plants to come. Thanks Botanical Interests!
Which best describes you as a gardener? Intermediate - Jessica P.Rated 5 out of 5 starsApr 14, 20255 Stars
I was scared to be honest at the reviews but I am glad I gave it a go. I will update after it gets through it's seedling period. I have so far, a 90% germination rate. I have just 1 cell that hasn't popped up yet and I know how they can be late, so I'm still on watch. These surprised me as the packet and reviews said it takes a long time but mine were all up within a week! I have had nothing but success with botanical interest seeds. I used to drive all around to find everything I wanted but now with the website, I'm definitely in trouble 🤣.
- AthenaVerified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 starsApr 2, 20255 Stars
I havet used them yet but will soon.
- Sidney P.Verified BuyerRated 1 out of 5 starsAug 15, 20241 Star
Stevia seeds (both packages) were a bust. I tried to start them indoors, used quality seeding mix and followed all the directions, yet they didn't come up. Disappointed, but maybe I'm just in the wrong latitude for those to grow here.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateEGEpic GardeningAug 23, 2024Hey Sidney,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts in a review. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we are committed to ensuring your experience is positive. Stevia is known to have naturally low germination rates -- enough so that we warn about it on the back of our packet! With stevia, the best method for guaranteed germination is to oversow and to be patient; that patience will be rewarded. Germination can be staggered over several weeks' time, so with this particular seed type, we definitely recommend giving it a bit more time.
In addition, light may be beneficial to the germination process for stevia. Shallow planting and bright light (even if indoors) are absolutely necessary; do not plant this one deeply, and some people even opt to just barely nudge a little soil over the top. The ideal soil temperature for this seed to germinate is 70-75 degrees, but if it's hotter or colder than that, it can have trouble.
While it's a bit of a primadonna in the herb world, it's well worth growing -- and we generally recommend waiting for at least 2 months, maintaining ideal conditions (consistently damp soil at 70-75 with good light) throughout that period. Avoid letting the soil dry out. Please feel free to reach out to us at customerservice@botanicalinterests.com with any other questions. We're happy to help. Thank you once again for your input. Keep on growing 🌻️
