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FOODIES' HOME PAGE
PLANT PROFILE LIST
NAME: Epazote
SPECIES / FAMILY: Dysphania anthelmintica - (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants
COMMON NAME(S): Mexican Tea, wormseed, Jesuit's tea, payqu (paico)
CONDITIONS: sun/shade, well-drained soil
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EDIBLE |
TASTE |
RAW/COOK |
SEASON |
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All |
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Shoots |
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Leaves |
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COOK |
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Buds/Flowers |
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Fruits |
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Roots |
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Seeds |
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SOAK/COOK |
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Nuts |
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Pods |
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Stalk |
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Bark |
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PORTION: small/herb
COMMENT: Use leaves for flavoring and tea. Seeds should be soaked overnight to remove saponins. (Some of us think that Epazote belongs in the Artemisia family, not Amaranth family)
CAUTION: Leaves have an off-putting aroma, like kerosene. Use with great care. “The essential oil in the seed and flowering plant is highly toxic. In excess it can cause dizziness, vomiting, convulsions and even death. The plant can also cause dermatitis or other allergic reactions. The leaves and seeds of all members of this genus are more or less edible.” (1)
NUTRITION/MEDICINAL: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/3047/2 // Medicinal with lots of cautions, including for pregnant women - https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Dysphania+anthelmintica
LOOK-A-LIKES: Mugwort https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemisia_vulgaris
POISONOUS LOOK-A-LIKES:
OTHER USES: Dye; Insecticide. The plant is used as a fumigant against mosquitoes and is also added to fertilizers to inhibit insect larvae. Gold/green dyes can be obtained from the whole plant. (1)
SOURCE LINKS (may include nutritional and medicinal info, plus other uses):