Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni, commonly called Stevia, is a wild plant from the subtropical forest in North East Paraguay, latitude 22 to 25°South, which grows in the mountainous region of Amambay. In this part of Paraguay, altitude is between 500 to 1500 metres .There are heavy  rainfalls (1400 to 1600 mm a year , as compared to 640 mm in Paris), and the average temperature reaches 23°C to 24°C, with variations  between 6°C and 43°C. The soil is poor, acidic and sandy.

The region was originally inhabited by the Guarani Indians.They were the first to have access to the plant .One cannot tell precisely when the plant first appeared in the region. Yet it is commonly acknowledged by ethnobotanists that its use is secular and dates back from over 2000 years.

The first name of the Stevia plant as used by the Guarani Indians is « ka’a eirete », which means « honey-like leaf ».

Some local dialects use the name  azuca-ca’a. This name calling  bears a meaning. It suggests that the Spaniards, who call sugar « azucar » knew the plant  when they were in South America in the sixteenth century, and left their linguistic print on it.