How big are your plants? i have one small one so far.

i was hoping to sweeten tea with it by steeping the leaves in the hot liquid. Do you think it will work?

i haven't noticed any bitter aftertaste. Was the plant stressed in any way at the time?

It was stressed when I tasted it months ago. It was root bound, getting infrequent water--I only water it when I noticed it was wilted, and it was sure ragged looking plant. I must admit I neglected it. I think all the green leaves and stem actually turned brown and dried up after it flower and I thought it was a goner for sure, but I was too lazy to remove the potting soil and clean the container for later use.

Then a couple months ago I noticed something green sprouting in the center of the pots, I moved the plants into a better location and I water it regularly. In the first picture, the leaves is twice as big when I first got them and its height is under 1 feet--still small, but also twice as tall when I got it. It is still growing, perhaps faster now because I just transplanted into the ground this morning.

So far, I didn't try it as a sugar substitute. My only experience with this plant is tasting the leaves directly from the plant.

I'm just guessing here, before steeping the leaves in hot liquid try bruising the leaves using a mortar and pestle to release all the sweetness or grind it all together until it is a green goo. When it gets bushier, I might try doing that.

i guess we learn together unless someone who knows more comes along ; )

'green goo' sounds kind of yucky!

Hi
Have been growing it for several years but have not found a really good way to use it . First the stems are not as sweet as the leaves mature leaves being the sweetest. I find that 3 cups chopped will almost bring a pot of tea to the sweetness I like . I find the stems produce the "aftertaste' ,so I remove those This means I'm going to have to grow a heck of a lot of it lol.
The commercial products are refined much like cane sugar which doesn't seem too practicle at home.??
The greatest sweetness was produced by chopping ,drying , then boiling for various times to produce a sticky syrup But discolors, sweetest being a dark brown much like molasses. I suspect it is also influencing the final taste??
There are several species within the genus and have been told the "bush "type produces the most leaves in the smallest space but have been unable to locate but one variety. I find it very easy to grow but tends to "bolt"
producing flowers rather than leaves. Flowers are good also but very small and certainly not as sweet as the leaves.
I do chop and mix it with fruit but find it takes a heck of a lot of it to replace sugar.lol
If you find any good methods that don't require a factory to produce would you share??? Thanks gary

That sure seems a lot of work to get the final product of sticky syrup, lol. Although it should be worth it if you are trying to cut your sugar intake. I didn't know the quality of sweetness is not the same for different parts of the plant--I only tasted the leaves so far.

You are so right about this plant bolting, couple days ago [the first picture] it starting to produce flowers, which I snip off of the plant. I also noticed that slugs love this plant. I should try to get cuttings from my stevia and try to propagate them more.

Thanks for sharing your experience Gary.

The plant i have seems to make a lot more flowers than leaves too. Maybe i will try adding them to a salad.

Your slugs have a sweet tooth, randg ; )

Hi
Have found it very easy to propagate by cuttings though it doesn't like my florida sand lol, I'm growing it in a bathtub with improved soil where I used to grow winter toms.. Too bad the flowers are not more attractive then you could use it for borders or something.??
i figure I'll need at least a 3x5 foot bed to produce enough leaves for just tea lol
Several commercial brands already granulated have hit the market since it's been approved by the FDA as a "sweetener alternative".
Anyway if you learn an easy way to use it i'm sure many people would appreciate it.
Have had no trouble with slugs (so farlol) but the gigantic florida grasshoppers love it .
Wonder if they're sweet?? lol gary

This plant sure became popular after the FDA approved that it is a sweetener. Whenever I go to the HD or Lowes, etc. they always have this plant available.

Gary the flower is attractive, but when the plant finish blooming it looks unsightly and I end up with a smaller leaves. I'm also trying to make it taller and bushier.

Hmmmm, I wonder if you could exclusively feed grasshoppers with stevia and roast them. I'm sure they will be sweet. Perhaps sprinkle the sweet, crunchy, grasshoppers to your ice cream. Andrew Zimmerman from Bizarre Food would love it. LOL! I rather have grasshopper than slugs (slugs are icky!) I used to catch grasshopper with my bare hand when I was a kid.

i always wondered how this plant is suppose to survive in the wild as its sweet.. a bear could eradicate a plant in one bite