Organic Mexican Tea - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds

The Epazote or Mexican Tea (Chenopodium ambrosioides) also known as "Wormseed" is an annual vegetable plant that comes from Central America and more specifically from Mexico, where it grows spontaneously.

This annual plant, which grows up to 40 to 80cm (16 to 32in) tall, is highly aromatic. Its broad dentate leaves exude a powerful camphor scent. In summer, it adorns itself with yellowish flowers that turn into small black fruits.

Epazote can be used in various ways:

• in cooking, its leaves season Mexican dishes based on beans, corn, but also certain sauces,
• for its medicinal properties: it is a vermifuge, as well as antispasmodic, stomachic and carminative,
• in the garden to protect crops from pests such as nocturnal insects.

Cultivating Mexican Tea is easy. It thrives in full sun or partial shade and can adapt to any type of soil. However, it will offer the most abundant foliage in rich, deep and moist soil. These growing conditions will also delay its seeding.

Harvest: Epazote leaves can be harvested as soon as the plant reaches at least 20cm (8in) in height and before it flowers.

Storage: The leaves can be stored at room temperature once dried.

Gardener's tip: Epazote is a plant that easily self-seeds. To limit spontaneous sowing, we recommend cutting the flowers before they go to seed.