Stevia: monoecious or dioecious?

[Billy]

Does anyone know, if Stevia is monoecious or dioecious?

[Lilah Morgan]

[Billy]

Thank you Lilah. What I'm really trying to find out is can a single plant produce viable seeds, or do you need two plants? I have one plant that I started from seed. I guess I'll know by the end of the season whether I get more seeds or not.

Thanks again.

[mleblanca]

Billy Stevia flowers are perfect ( having both stamens and pistil) You can verify this by looking carefully at the flowers on your plant and looking for both parts. But the plants seem to need cross pollination. So yes, you would need two plants. The preferred method of propagation seems to be by cuttings.

this may be helpful (it's where I learned all that above info)

Emilie NorCal where it was 102 today, but I was up at 6800' where it was cooler, but not very!

[Billy]

Thank you. I think I'll invest in lights until I know what I'm doing. My Stevia just went into flower. I tried some leaves today. They were a little on the sour side but sweet as sugar. Last year they didn't flower. I wonder what,"Propagation of stevia is usually by stem cuttings which root easily, but require high labor inputs.", means? What "high labor inputs?"

Computer says 95F here at 4:30 PM. At least not the near 100s that were forecast :O))

One of my Stupice is with fruit :O)) Widow lady down the street is first this year with her Sun Gold tomatoes ;O(

I have a volunteer cherry tomato from last year. I'm hoping that it is the Yellow Pear. If it is the Sun Gold from last year it could be very interesting (disaster).

After the wake up call on the echinacea, I realized I had 5 of them (last year) and a couple more fringe pink (6 in total). The elcampane is in flower. Nothing to write home about, but it is nearly 7 ft. tall. The mullein, hysopp, golden rod, and the milk thistle are flowering as well. Not to mention that there are a half a dozen nasturtium volunteers, and the prunella vulgaris has taken to moving around the yard.

It's nuts, suddenly, as everything is going full tilt, I feel like I'm running out of time. Still so much to do. I'm nuts. Gardeners are nuts ;O)

[phorbin]

> > /p/zinn

Means they have to hire people and pay them to process and maintain the cuttings.

Have a look at Crazysweet Stevia.

[Billy]

That just means that there would be high labor costs if producing potted Stevia was all you did. 3 --> $18, 30 --> $180, 90 --> $540 Doesn't look too bad.