I used it for awhile--extract I bought in a health food store, not the leaves. Tastes ok. Then I found Splenda tablets, and fell in love with those. Unfortunately, they don't make them for the US market anymore. I'd have to import them from Australia.

I've been trying to decide whether or not to grow stevia.

I have grown it and was eating it fresh of the plant but got gastric like symptoms.
I was eating it to kill the taste of the other fresh herbs I was eating,so maybe it was a reaction with the other herbs that was the problem.

I never really liked the after-taste of stevia. I used to buy it as a fine powder, and use it like you would use sugar. Word to the wise - don't try to bake brownies with it! not only do they fall horribly flat, they are the nastiest brown/green color you've ever seen!

I crumble the dried leaves in our tea when it's steeping - sweetens it just right!!!

I can see where leaving the sugar out of brownies would change the whole texture, since sugar is a major ingredient. How do you change the recipe when you add stevia? I mean, do you use less liquid or any other changes?

There are sites online selling Stevia for sweetening and they usually have a comparison chart telling you how much to use for what.

never used stevia... but the thing is nothing really sweetens like sugar. oh and as for splenda. my dad used it in his tea for a while and it gave him stomach upsets, and by that i mean diareah (a little course i admit but best way to describe it)

i don't know what the chemical in stevia is but it could have similar effect so beware

The chemical in stevia is Stevia, it's an herb. Splenda is not an herb, nor is it made from sugar, but a by product
made from the clorine that is used to whiten sugar.
Safe, time will tell? It's in the same group as the other man-made sweeteners, which are causing all kinds of health problems.

I find the stevia extract powder to be the best, but you only need to use a tiny bit, a tiny sprinkle for a cup of coffee.

As far as safety goes, here's more on the status of stevia (from the Center for Science in the Public Interest).

Splenda (sucralose) actually is manufactured from sugar.

I recommend investinstevia.com. I found it useful.

Here is a link that might be useful: InvestinStevia

I have always been leery of Stevia, but a friend of mine thinks it's wonderful. I don't like the taste.

What growing conditions does it like, and is it difficult to grow? How large does it get, and does it self sew?

The Herbs forum has a number of threads on growing Stevia.

In Arizona, we have available "agave syrup." Has this become available to other places besides the southwest?
It's more delicate than honey or maple syrup. Gentle on those sensitive to the stronger natural sugars.

Charlie in Arizona
The Herbalist