Epazote....Has anyone tried growing it?

I thought I started this thread last nite but I must have forgot to post it.

I found Epazote in the herb section of Johnny's Seed Catalog and it states its added to chili and bean dishes to help aid digestion and prevent gas.

I wondered if anyone grew it and do you have to dry it to use and if so, how is that done?

I'm thinking of trying some this year.

In another thread on cooking I had asked about making vegetarian tamales. One of the links to a great recipe included Epazote in the ingredients. When I did some Google searches I found the description to be less than appealing! This herb is also called Epazote, Wormseed, Jesuit's Tea, Mexican Tea, Paico or Herba Sancti Maria and more can be found at this site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysphania_ambrosioides

Al and I shop at Penzeys Spices often and I found this description of what they sell "Epazote is traditional for Mexican cooking, adding a sweet, mild flavor of its own to each dish. Historically, it has been used to reduce the intestinal gas that occurs with a diet rich in beans. Many recipes call for epazote, and many people swear by it. Add 1 TB. to a 2-qt. pot of chili or bean soup, or simmer with beans before adding to soup or chili."

I probably should have looked at the Penzeys description and maybe I would have used it, but I didn't and the black bean tamales were great anyway!

Now I'm more curious and interested in growing some too...just to check it out!

Good questions quiltbea!

Yikes! I just found another site about growing this herb. They say to plant in a pot but it self-seeds and is HIGHLY invasive! You can read about it here
http://growingtaste.com/herbs/epazote.shtml

Hmmm, I may rethink my idea to grow it and just buy a package of dried Epazote to keep in my kitchen!!

I just bought a packet of it on the recommendations of a good friend who said it makes bean dishes FAR more hospitable!

We'll see....

But I think I might plant arnica before planting epazote (given the climate, I think it will grow better, anyway!)

I was hoping for personal experience but from what's been provided, I think I can plan on putting it in a pot and cutting off leaves of it to add to the cooking in the last 15 mins for it advantages.

Now if only someone is out there that can share a few seeds. I can't see buying a package with 600 seeds it it when I only need 3 seeds to thin to a single plant.

I just ordered some epazote seed from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange and I'm happy to share a few seeds with anyone who would like to give it a try (until I run out). Just send me a PM with your mailing information, no SESE necessary It'll take a few days for the order to arrive, but when it does I'll send off a few seeds. I can't wait to hear how it does for everyone!

*I'm suffering from major garden fever!*

I'll be mailing off seeds tomorrow to those who asked. Boy, are they tiny! They're the teeniest seeds I've seen yet. There are a ton of them in the package so I still have some available if anyone else wants to give it a try