Tried growing stevia, but couldn’t ever get it to live.
The old man who lived next door growing up told me about a plant that grows around here called Vanilla leaf. Apparently it’s similar to stevia, but has a vanilla flavor. It was cultivated commercial for a little while in the early 1900s around here until sugar took over everything. I’ve always wanted to find some and see if I can sprout it.
I didn’t know you can eat it. There is some dnr land between my property and the next that is filled with it. It is a beautiful plant.
Had to search some old photos is this it.
I do think that’s it. Have you tried it? How is it?
I haven’t I just thought it was such a beautiful plant but I never looked into its uses. I’ll try it but I bet it’s best in the spring when fresh.
Well don’t take my word for it! I should read more about it…
Not seeing edible.
It seems traditionally used dried to perfume the house/keep flies mosquitoes away.
One source (Wikipedia) claims it was widely used by the Salish as a treatment for tuberculosis. And one Lummi says people used to mash the whole plant to use as an emetic.
Looks like the story was wrong. Or else a practical joke to get me to drink an emetic. Which is exactly the kind of thing that old man would have done 😆
