Aztec Sweet Herb (Phyla Dulcis, Lippia Dulcis, Mayan Mint)

 

I found a new and interesting herb at the local farmers market, called Phyla Dulcis (also known as Aztec Sweet Herb, Lippia Dulcis, Mayan Mint, and more). Though it is a perennial mint, I will refer to it as Aztec Sweet Herb due to its amazing property. This herb does not have the typical mint flavor, but is amazingly sweet and said to be 1,500 times sweeter than sugar. It is used in salads, added to smoothies or just chewed. It is used as a sugar substitute in many countries and used to treat colds or persistent coughs. It's native to Venezuela, Colombia, Central America, the Caribbean and Southern Mexico. It is not a particularly hardy plant and cannot tolerate the frost, but makes it a great plant for my region since the coldest it has ever gotten here is 7C (45F).

I purchased this at the farmers market as a consumable for 100 Yen (95 cents), but will try and propagate it. The stems are really short so planted some directly in the soil and some in water. Above are some of the cuttings I planted directly in the soil six days ago. This herb generally prefers sandy or lava type soil, but can thrive in more fertile soil that drains well, not over watered and exposed to 3-4 hours of sunlight a day.

After six days the cuttings I placed in water are starting to grow roots.