Epazote
Dysphania ambrosioides
Also known as: Mexican tea, Wormseed, Pazote, Hierba santa María, Apazote
Quick facts
- Category
- herbs soft
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Days to harvest
- 50 to 75 days
- Harvest type
- continuous production over weeks or months
- Spacing
- 30 cm between plants
Environment
- Temperature
- 16–32°C
- pH
- 6 to 7.5
- EC (hydroponic)
- 1 to 1.6 mS/cm
- Daily light
- 15 to 25 mol/m²/day
Climate and zones
- USDA zones
- 6 to 12 (winter low around -23°C or warmer)
- Frost tolerance
- frost sensitive (dies at first frost)
- Season
- warm (summer crops, frost-sensitive)
Viable growing environments:
- outdoor in growing season (annual)
- unheated greenhouse / hoop house
- heated greenhouse
- indoor (heated home)
USDA zone bounds reflect outdoor year-round survival. Anywhere outside the bounded zone range, this crop still grows as an annual in the warm months (outdoor_seasonal), under cover (greenhouse), or indoors under lights.
Growing systems
Epazote works in:
- media bed (ebb and flow)
- wicking bed
- soil bed
- drip / Dutch buckets
Growing media
The substrate the roots sit in. Choice depends on the system (clay pebbles don't fit NFT channels; rockwool isn't used in media beds) and the crop (epazote works in the media listed below).
| Medium | pH effect | Water retention | Bacterial surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coco coir (Coconut coir) | slightly acidic | high | moderate |
| Perlite (Expanded volcanic glass) | neutral / inert | very low | low |
| Soil-based mix (Potting soil) | varies by source | high | high |
Bacterial surface area matters for aquaponics: clay pebbles, lava rock, and pumice double as biofilter substrate. Low-surface media (rockwool, perlite, pea gravel) work in hydroponics but need a separate biofilter in aquaponics.
Nutrient demand by stage
NPK ratios are relative weights at each growth stage; the nutrient mix calculator scales them to absolute grams or ml. EC targets shift through the plant's life: seedlings need a much lighter solution than fruiting adults.
| Stage | N | P | K | EC target (mS/cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| seedling | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 |
| vegetative | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1.4 |
Aquaponics suitability
Compatible with typical aquaponics nutrient profiles. Fish waste provides enough nitrogen for healthy growth; supplemental potassium, calcium, and iron may still be needed depending on fish stocking density.
Care notes
An easy, vigorous herb for warm conditions. EC 1.0-2.0 mS/cm. pH 6.0-7.5 (adaptable). Temperature: 18–32°C (warm-season; frost kills the plant). Moderate to high light (DLI 14-22 mol/m2/day). Grows in any hydroponic system. From seed to first harvest: 5-7 weeks. The plant self-seeds aggressively in outdoor settings; in hydroponic systems, this tendency is irrelevant. Harvest individual leaves or stem tips as needed. The flavor is strongest in mature leaves; young leaves are milder. Use sparingly: 2-3 leaves in a pot of black beans is typical. Overconsumption of epazote is not recommended; the essential oil (ascaridole) is toxic in large quantities. As a culinary herb, the amounts used in cooking are safe. Drying preserves some flavor but fresh is far superior. For Mexican and Central American cooking enthusiasts, a single epazote plant provides more than enough fresh herb for a household's bean-cooking needs year-round. The plant is nearly impossible to find fresh at retail outside Mexican grocery stores, making it a high-value personal-use crop.
Verified against: instituto-nacional-de-investigaciones-forestales-agricolas-y-pecuarias-mexico, u-of-arizona-cooperative-extension, rhs-uk. Last reviewed 2026-05-15.