Stevia rebaudiana
Asteraceae (composite family)
Location: Sugar, fiber and root crops
Origin: South America
Biophysical Requirements: Grown in climates ranging from southern Canada to the American South. Does best in semi-humid locations with acidic, well-draining soil.
Food Uses: It has been used for thousands of years as a sweetener. Sweet compounds extracted from the stevia plant, steviol glycosides, are 200-300X more sweet than sugar.