Dysphania ambrosioides: Uses (Ethnobotany)
Because of its anthelmintic properties, Mexican Tea has been used to remove intestinal worms. This is one of the reasons it is cultivated as a medicinal herb.
Plant Profile: Dysphania ambrosioides
Taxonomy: Dysphania ambrosioidesNames
Epazote, Jusuit's Tea, Mexican Tea, Paico, Wormseed
Phonetic Spelling:dis-FAY-nee-a am-bro-zhee-OH-id-eez
Genus:Dysphania
Species:ambrosioides
Family:Amaranthaceae
Mexican Tea is a plant that can be classified as either an annual or a short-lived perennial, native to the tropical regions of the Americas. Its stems and leaves are covered in tiny glands that release a fragrant oil, producing a musky scent that some may find unpleasant. This species tends to thrive in disturbed environments, often found in cultivated fields, along roadsides, by streams, and in neglected areas. It is capable of self-pollination or being pollinated by the wind, and it easily propagates itself through reseeding.
Dysphania ambrosioides Feature Summary
Dysphania ambrosioides Image Gallery
Tags
#fragrant
#poisonous
#full sun tolerant
#heat tolerant
#green
#weedy
#aromatic
#NC native
#tropical perennial
#spreading
#clusters
#problem for cats
#problem for dogs
#problem for horses
#container plants
Similar Plants
Dysphania ambrosioides Feature Summary
Attributes
Because of its anthelmintic properties, Mexican Tea has been used to remove intestinal worms. This is one of the reasons it is cultivated as a medicinal herb.
America & Subantarctic Islands
Throughout
Songbirds and mice will eat the seeds
Leaves are used in teas and various Mexican dishes
Perennial
Annual
Fruit
Fruits are small and greenish, with black seeds.
Achene
Green
Black
Flowers
The upper stems and smaller side stems terminate in 1 inch long spikes of stemless flowers that are interspersed with small leafy bracts. The 1/4 inch individual greenish flowers are arranged in dense clusters along these spikes. It blooms mid-summer to fall.
Green
Spike
Panicle
Summer
Fall
Bracts
Leaves
The oval leaves are up to 4" long and 1½" across and are medium green to yellow-green or red-green. The bases are always wedge-shaped and the margins vary even on the same plant from smooth to toothed.
Deciduous
Green
Gold/Yellow
Red/Burgundy
Simple
Alternate
Ovate
Entire
Dentate
3-6 inches
1-3 inches
Stem
Stems are round and hairless with many veins in colors of green, dull red and cream.
Green
Red/Burgundy
Cream/Tan
Poisonous to Humans
Nausea, headache, hallucinations, vomiting, convulsions, and coma if the seeds are eaten in large amounts.
Terpene peroxide ascaridole and others
High
Seeds
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Annual
Native Plant
Poisonous
Herb
Deciduous
Erect
Rapid
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Dry
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Weedy
Dysphania ambrosioides Image Gallery
Dysphania ambrosioides Attributes
Dysphania ambrosioides: Country Or Region Of Origin
America & Subantarctic Islands
Dysphania ambrosioides: Distribution
Throughout
Dysphania ambrosioides: Wildlife Value
Songbirds and mice will eat the seeds
Dysphania ambrosioides: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)
heat
Dysphania ambrosioides: Edibility
Leaves are used in teas and various Mexican dishes
Dysphania ambrosioides: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Dysphania ambrosioides: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Dysphania ambrosioides Fruit
Dysphania ambrosioides: Fruit Description
Fruits are small and greenish, with black seeds.
Dysphania ambrosioides: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Dysphania ambrosioides: Fruit Color
Black
Green
Dysphania ambrosioides Flowers
Dysphania ambrosioides: Flower Description
The upper stems and smaller side stems terminate in 1 inch long spikes of stemless flowers that are interspersed with small leafy bracts. The 1/4 inch individual greenish flowers are arranged in dense clusters along these spikes. It blooms mid-summer to fall.
Dysphania ambrosioides: Flower Color
Green
Dysphania ambrosioides: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Dysphania ambrosioides: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Dysphania ambrosioides: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Dysphania ambrosioides Leaves
Dysphania ambrosioides: Leaf Description
The oval leaves are up to 4" long and 1½" across and are medium green to yellow-green or red-green. The bases are always wedge-shaped and the margins vary even on the same plant from smooth to toothed.
Dysphania ambrosioides: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Dysphania ambrosioides: Leaf Color
Gold/Yellow
Green
Red/Burgundy
Dysphania ambrosioides: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Dysphania ambrosioides: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Dysphania ambrosioides: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Dysphania ambrosioides: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Dysphania ambrosioides: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Dysphania ambrosioides: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Dysphania ambrosioides: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Dysphania ambrosioides Stem
Dysphania ambrosioides: Stem Description
Stems are round and hairless with many veins in colors of green, dull red and cream.
Dysphania ambrosioides: Stem Color
Cream/Tan
Green
Red/Burgundy
Dysphania ambrosioides: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Dysphania ambrosioides Poisonous to Humans
Dysphania ambrosioides: Poison Symptoms
Nausea, headache, hallucinations, vomiting, convulsions, and coma if the seeds are eaten in large amounts.
Dysphania ambrosioides: Poison Toxic Principle
Terpene peroxide ascaridole and others
Dysphania ambrosioides: Poison Severity
High
Low
Medium
Dysphania ambrosioides: Causes Contact Dermatitis
No
Yes
Dysphania ambrosioides: Poison Part
Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems
Dysphania ambrosioides Whole Plant Traits
Dysphania ambrosioides: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Dysphania ambrosioides: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Dysphania ambrosioides: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Dysphania ambrosioides: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Dysphania ambrosioides Cultural Conditions
Dysphania ambrosioides: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dysphania ambrosioides: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Dysphania ambrosioides: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Dysphania ambrosioides Landscape
Dysphania ambrosioides: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Dysphania ambrosioides: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
