Chia (Salvia hispanica)

Salvia hispanica

An Aztec staple seed; it flowers only as the days shorten, so it needs a long frost-free fall.

Type: herb or perennial · annual vegetables, herbs and grains
Hardiness: zones 8 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 5 ft tall, 2 ft wide
Harvest: October to November
From: Central and southern Mexico and Guatemala
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.

Good for: food, pollinators.

Native to: Mexico, Central America & the Caribbean. Hardy in zones 8 to 11.

The story

Chia was the third crop of the Aztec empire, after maize and beans. Runners and soldiers carried the seed as trail food, and it was pressed for an oil used in painting. Long before chia pets, the word gave its name to the Mexican state of Chiapas.

Planting

Sow in late spring in full sun and well-drained soil. It needs a frost-free autumn to ripen seed.

Growing

Water to establish, then lightly. It grows tall and leafy all summer and waits for shortening days to flower.

Harvest and use

Cut the flower spikes when most have browned, dry them in a paper bag and shake the seed loose. Stir it into water with lime and sugar for chia fresca.

What to watch for

North of zone 8, frost usually arrives before the seed. Grow it for the bees and the blue flowers.

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More annual vegetables, herbs and grains

General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home