**Abstract**

*Stevia serrata* Cav. (Eupatorieae, Asteraceae) grows in Central America and Mexico usually over 1500 m. In this study, essential oils of aerial parts from three populations of western Guatemala were obtained yielding 0.17–0.27% of oil by hydrodistillation. Chamazulene (42–62%) was the most abundant compound in the oil analyzed GC/MS, also presenting germacrene D (4.4–15.3%), caryophyllene oxide (3.2–11.8%), (*E*)-nerolidol (3.9–7.1%), spathulenol (2.3–7.9%), and (*E*)-caryophyllene (2.5–6.6%). Besides, a propagation trial was carried out on seeds of plants collected in Santa Lucía Utatlán, as the first step for the domestication of the plant, obtaining approximately 75% survival in the transplanting of the germinated seedlings. After the flowering of the individuals, a greenish essential oil was obtained from the roots yielding 0.2% of oil. This oil did not present chamazulene, but α-longipinene (23.5%), germacrene D (22.2%), santolina triene (12.6%), and (*E*)-caryophyllene (8.1%) as major components. As conclusion, it was confirmed that the aerial parts of the essential oil of *S. serrata* from western Guatemala presents a high content of chamazulene and that there is feasibility for the domestication of the plant through the germination of seeds.

**Keywords:** α-longipinene, chamazulene, Guatemala, sesquiterpenes, *Stevia serrata*
