Epazote

Photo:
Epazote branch, David MacTavish, Hutchinson
Farm, June 3, 2012
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Grown at Hutchinson Farm since
2006. Available May 2018, in 4½" pots.
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Epazote (eh-pa-zoh-tay) is certainly the most unusual
herb we grow. Lovers of Mexican cuisine are delighted
to discover we grow it, and those more used to
"Western" cuisines, are puzzled how anyone could
possibly eat it!
- Description
Dysphania
ambrosioides
Winter Hardiness: Annual (often self seeding)
Light Requirements: Sun, part sun
Height: 24 - 48"
Habit: Upright
Where to plant: In the ground
- In the
Garden
Epazote is a tall irregularly branched
plant, that resembles golden rod. Not a pretty
herb, very tiny hard to see flowers, you'll want
to grow it in a back corner of your garden. It can
self seed, so if it likes where you planted it, it
will self seed, and you may start calling it a
weed.
- In the
Kitchen
Epazote is a must-have herb for
Mexican and some other Latin American
cuisines, but unheard of in the rest of the
world. The raw smell of epazote is unusual and
hard to describe (kind of a minty diesel
fuel), but when it is cooked with other
ingredients, it becomes delightful. The
classic pairing is with black beans, but it is
also good in quesadillas, tomales, soups, etc.
Harvest: cut off stalks, then strip off the
leaves.
Preserve: We have only used fresh epazote,
please tell us your experiences with drying or
freezing!
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