My seeds came from Park Seeds. I paid 4.95 for 50 seeds, and had 100% germination. They've since been transplanted, and are still doing OK. While Stevia extracts are up to 300 times more sweet than sugar, if you just use the plant leaf as is, it is 30 times sweeter than sugar, so one leaf might do. Using the whole leaf you may notice other tastes. If you soak the leaves (minus any veins) in warm water to extract the sweetness, you will have less of these tastes. I don't mind the other tastes and am too lazy to extract. Plus the dried leaves hold their sweetness, almost indefinitely I've been, so I just dry some down and store it like other spices. If you do extract, remember the seetness is in the leafs, the bitter stuff is in the stems and the veins of the leaves so the more you cut up the plant and separeate out the peices the more you will refine. Here is a pretty good link http://www.sweetess.com/stevia/#q2

Medicinal uses of stevia: Can be safely used by diabetic people. Does not cause tooth decay. A tea from the leaves is an effective external treatment for cuts and abrasions. Anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. Useful in slimming regimes because of its ability to reduce craving for sweet and fatty foods. Also used in the treatment of high blood pressure, hypoglycaemia and candidiasis. Usual Dosage: A standard infusion is sometimes used as a natural aid for diabetes and hypertension. 1 cup is taken 2-3 times daily. Traditionally, the plant has been used as a contraceptive, but modern research has shown no contraceptive agents. I wouldn't trust it for the purpose!

Thanks Sylvar. There are many heirloom seed places selling the seeds and plants...I just prefer the homesteader approach :) Here's what I filed away when I get to start stevia plants...may be able to help you. Stevia: Propagate by seeds or by tip cuttings taken in summer, or root division in spring. Seeds are notoriously infertile and slow to germinate. Flowering usually occurs 54-104 days after transplanting. The plant is climatically suited to from temperate to sub-tropical climates where temperatures range between 21-43C, with an average of 24C, but it will also grow in the tropics, where it prefers shade; and will also grow in cold climates with winter protection. Plants in the ground have been noted to take minimal frosts. It is a somewhat temperamental plant, and may be slow to grow at first. Even in ideal conditions, it is not uncommon for plants to die suddenly or to lose its leaves. As long as the roots are alive, the plant may regrow. Poor, loose, well drained soil is recommended, and that the plants be well-mulched so that surface feeder roots do not dry out. For gardeners in cold climates it is recommended that plants be started in large pots so that the pot can be moved to a warm verandah in winter. In cold climates, the plant may go dormant to the ground. As stevia does not over-winter outdoors in freezing conditions, the roots are lifted in autumn and stored indoors in perlite or sand and then set outside again in spring. Stevia requires regular watering in dry periods, but has poor tolerance to long waterlogging, or to saline water or soils. In its natural habitat the plant occurs naturally on acid soils of 4-5 pH, but will grow well on soils up to 9 pH. Leaf yields can be increased with a moderate application of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Plants also respond well to liquid seaweed as a foliage spray applied fortnightly. As soon as the plant flowers, the leaf production slows down, so it is an advantage to nip off flower buds, to encourage further leaf development. If the plant is left to flower, the tip leaves take on a slightly bitter overtone. Because of its gangly growth, plant several together for support. Plant will die if left go to flower, so it should be cut back repeatedly to prevent flowering.

Thanks everyone. Gary, I got Stevia rebaudiana, doesn't say if it's bush or what. It's a Bonnie Plant, so I went to their website, which just says in Brazil it grows as a shrub. The website also gives advice for sweeting tea with the leaves: Actually, you need to steep your tea with fresh stevia leaves. Heat releases the sweetness. If you use an instant tea or like to sweeten lemonade, make an extract by chopping about � cup of fresh leaves and pouring warm water over them. Let them steep overnight. Then strain and refrigerate. Your extract can be used to sweeten tea, coffee, fruit drinks, chopped fruit, and desserts. It will last about a month in the refrigerator�if you don�t use it all first. (bonnieplants.com, Stevia FAQ's) Alex, I think that's how I'm going to try to sweeten my tea, putting it in after I boil the water and steep my tea a bit. I love it with green tea, haven't tried it with lemongrass. I'll have to try that.