Epazote, a strong-flavored Central American herb, adds a rustic flavor to dishes. Used in black beans and more, learn about uses, buying tips, and storage. Grow a unique herb in your garden - Epazote! With its Central American origins, this herb is renowned for its distinctive flavor profile, resembling a fusion of oranges, oregano... Epazote plants were brought to Europe from Mexico in the 17th century where they were used in a number of medicines. The Aztecs used the herb as both a culinary and medicinal herb. Epazoteherb seedlings growing in a bucket. Soak seeds in water for 24 hours, and then lightly press seeds into the soil and add a scant layer of dirt on top. Chenopodium ambrosioides. Epazote is a large, loosely branched almost weedy looking annual growing to about 4 feet tall with reddish stems. The leaves are green and sharply toothed. A Warning About Epazote. Don’t let the reputation of epazotegrowing like a weed put you off. You can control the spread with careful planting. Added to your medicinal herb options... As an herb, it is suitable for gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, and paleo diets. Epazote is used to flavor black beans, soups, quesadillas, potatoes, enchiladas, tamales and eggs. The epazoteherb can also be added to soups, stews, and made into tea. The powdered leaves can be added to salads, such as potato and bean salads. About this item. Plant Type: Perennial herb (grown as an annual in cooler climates). Mature Size: 2-4 feet tall. Hardiness Zones: 8-11 (can be grown as an annual in colder zones). If you’re looking for a unique herb to add to your herb garden, consider growingepazote. It’s native to Central America and is known for its unusual flavors. If you'd rather avoid planting epazote in your garden, there are other herbs you could grow as a substitute. You can try Mexican oregano or papalo as a nice stand-in for epazote. Epazote is a herb that’s easy to grow in warm weather, and can be very useful in cooking. It’s primary use is to help predigest the “gassy” bean compounds. Epazote is one of the most efficiently growing annual herbs. It prefers well-draining, sandy soil and full sunlight to flourish. The site owner hides the web page description.
