Salvia hispanica, commonly known as chia, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala.
Salvia hispanica is considered a pseudocereal, cultivated for its edible, hydrophilic chia seed, grown and commonly used as food in several countries of western South America, western Mexico, and the southwestern United States.Chia is an annual herb growing up to 1.75 metres (5 feet 9 inches) tall, with opposite leaves that are 4â8 cm (1 1â2â3 1â4 in) long and 3â5 cm (1 1â4â2 in) wide. Its flowers are purple or white and are produced in numerous clusters in a spike at the end of each stem.