WILD FOODIES' HOME PAGE
PLANT PROFILE LIST

 

Starr 070308-5257 Chenopodium ambrosioides.jpg  Dysphania ambrosioides 001.JPG  Dysphania ambrosioides 9061.JPG

 

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
 

PARTS:

EDIBLE cid:image001.jpg@01D3EC3E.A305A520

TASTE

RAW/COOK

SEASON

All

 

 

 

 

Shoots

 

 

 

 

Leaves

cid:image001.jpg@01D3EC3E.A305A520

 

COOK

 

Buds/Flowers

       

Fruits

 

 

 

 

Roots

       

Seeds

cid:image001.jpg@01D3EC3E.A305A520

 

SOAK/COOK

 

Nuts

 

 

 

 

Pods

 

 

 

 

Stalk

 

 

 

 

Bark

 

 

 

 

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):

  1. https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Dysphania+anthelmintica

  2. http://www.eattheweeds.com/epazote-smelly-food-of-the-gods

  3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysphania_ambrosioides   

  4. http://www.foragingtexas.com/2012/07/epazote.html (good photos)