General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Partial or Dappled Shade
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 8a -12.2 °C (10 °F) to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
Plant Height: 2-12 feet
Plant Spread: 2-12 feet
Leaves: Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Deciduous
Fragrant
Other: Depends on growing conditions
Flowers: Inconspicuous
Uses: Culinary Herb
Medicinal Herb
Will Naturalize
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Division
Offsets
Containers: Suitable in 1 gallon
Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Needs repotting every 2 to 3 years

Image
Common names
  • Root Beer Plant
  • Hoja Santa
  • Mexican Pepperleaf

Photo Gallery
Location: Savannah, Georgia (my garden)
Date: 2022-09-05
In full, hot Georgia sun this plant requires occasional supplemen
Location: Botanical garden of Crete
Date: 2022-06-01
Location: Botanical garden of Crete
Date: 2022-06-01
Location: San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio, Texas
Date: 2022-04-04
Location: Kyle, Texas
Date: 2017-10-15
Hoja Santa, a useful, beautiful herb
Location: Savannah, Georgia (neighbor's yard)
Date: 2017 October
Photo by DavidofDeLand
Location: my garden 
Date: 2017-08-23
Location: my garden 
Date: 2017-08-23
Location: Austin ,TX
Date: September
Location: Ft Worth Botanic, Tx
Date: 2017-11-18
Location: Ft Worth Botanic, Tx
Date: 2017-11-18
Location: Medina Co., Texas
Date: September 2010
Hoja Santa
Location: Nahiku, Maui, Hawaii
photo by Forest & Kim Starr
Location: Medina Co., Texas
Date: June 3, 2012
Hoja Santa, closeup of  bloom
Location: Cherokee County Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden, Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2012-04-30
Location: My North Florida garden
Location: my garden 
Date: 2017-08-23
Photo by LindaTX8
Location: Central, La. 
Date: 2013-10-01
Entire Root Beer Plant with bloom
Location: Central, La. 
Date: 2013-10-01
Root Beer Plant bloom
Location: San Diego Botanic Garden
Date: 2011-10-31
Location: San Diego Botanic Garden
Date: 2011-10-31
Location: Jacksonville, TX
Date: 2012-10-29
This is the same plant as http://allthingsplants.com/plants/photo
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Comments:
  • Posted by Ispahan (Chicago - Zone 6a) on Nov 7, 2011 5:18 PM concerning plant:
    I grow this unusual herb as a houseplant in a shady window. It goes through periodic cycles of looking very attractive, growing up and getting lanky and gangly, pruned back hard and then goes back to looking attractive for a while. It requires ample moisture and heavy fertilization, but is otherwise quite easy to grow. I love the fragrance of the foliage, very much like root beer. It adds a delicious flavor to chicken breasts if you wrap them in Hoja Santa leaves before roasting.
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piksihk On March 4, 2018 Transplanted
HW near toad lily and EE
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