Extraction Source
Stevia (scientific name: Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) Hemsl.) is a perennial herb of the family Asteraceae and the genus Stevia. Plant height 1-1.3 meters. Root shoot hypertrophy, 50-60, up to 25 cm long. The stem is erect, the base is lignified, the upper part is soft, densely covered with short hairs, the base of the corolla is light purple or white, and the upper part is white. Achene linear, slightly flattened, brown, with pappus. The flowering period is July-September, and the fruiting period is September-November.
It is native to the alpine meadows on the border of Paraguay and Brazil in South America. Since 1977, it has been introduced and cultivated in Beijing, Hebei, Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, Fujian, Hunan, Yunnan and other places in China.
This species likes to grow in a warm and humid environment and is sensitive to light. The leaves contain 6-12% inulin, and the fine product is white powder. It is a low-calorie, high-sweet natural sweetener, and is one of the raw materials for the food and pharmaceutical industries.