Traditionally used to flavour bean dishes, epazote has the added medicinal benefit of acting as a carminative, or anti-flatulent agent.Β Epazote is an unfussy plant that will grow in even poor soils. Grow in full sun for best results, in a warm spot in the garden.Β Continue reading for more information on how to grow epazote from seed.
Latin
Dysphania ambrosioides (syn. Chenopodium ambrosioides)
Family: Amaranthaceae
Difficulty
Easy
Season & Zone
Season: Warm season
Exposure: Full sun
Zone: 4-12
Timing
Sow indoors inΒ mid-spring and transplant or sow direct outdoors once soil warms up in late spring or early summer. Optimal temperature for germination: 21Β°C (70Β°F). Bottom heat speeds germination. Seeds should sprout in 7-14 days.
Starting
Press seeds into the soil and barely cover. Keep moist until germination and transplant or thin plants to stand 15cm (6β³) apart in the row.
Harvest
Gather the leaves so that you have 2tbsp of chopped fresh leaves available to add to 5 cups of cooked beans. It is important to add in the last 15 minutes of cooking. The leaves can be dried, but fresh are better.
Note: In significant quantities, Epazote is poisonous. While it is safe to use as a culinary herb in small quantities, overuse can cause deafness, vertigo, paralysis, incontinence, sweating, jaundice, and even death. ItΒ shouldΒ be avoided by pregnant women and small children.