EPAZOTE 'Oaxacan Red' --Chenopodium ambrosioides--

Staff favorite pungent herb! Epazote is a Nahuatl (Aztec) word for "skunk sweat", which some may associate with its aroma! Others find its strong scent very pleasant. This is a red leafed variety of epazote, the color growing more intense in sun, and subsiding to green in shade. Use in soups, salads, chilli. Very aromatic, and quite unique, grow anywhere as an annual. Self seeds readily. Known for its use in bean dishes to reduce "wind", aka farts, a property known as being "carminative". With its steadfast growing habits, Epazote thrives in full sun and likes well drained, average condition soil. Both in ground or in a pot, the constituency of this herb lends aid to surrounding plants, by attracting predatory insects, looking for other insect prey. It is said that the crushed up dried leaf has been known to deter ants! Ascaridole, a chemical compound found in Epazote, can inhibit nearby plant growth, so use it where you need elimination, but not near other plants that aren't as vigorous.