Candy Stevia

Candy Stevia is a natural, calorie-free sweetener that is about 300 times sweeter than regular sugar. The plant produces leaves that can be used fresh or dried and ground into powder. Each plant can yield up to half a pound of sweet leaves in a season. While stevia is most often grown as an annual, it can survive year-round in zones 10 and warmer.

Harvesting Info

Stevia should be harvested just before it flowers, since flowering can give the leaves an unpleasant taste. You can pick individual leaves or cut whole branches, but to keep the plant producing, avoid taking more than one-third of the plant at a time. For the best flavor, harvest in the fall when cooler temperatures make the leaves sweeter. After cutting, branches can be hung in a dry room to allow the leaves to dry for later use.