Ingredient guide
Hoja santa
hoja santa · also called acuyo
A fresh aromatic leaf whose identity is clearer than its current route geography.
Identity at a glance
- Accepted biological name
- Piper auritum
- Recorded synonym
- Piper sanctum
- Plant family
- Piperaceae
- Part used
- fresh leaf
What this ingredient is
Hoja santa is treated here as Piper auritum. “Acuyo” is an accepted regional common name, while Piper sanctum appears as a scientific synonym. The two names do not describe two separate flagship plants.
Where you are most likely to encounter it
Hoja santa is best understood in established markets and regional food settings, especially in Oaxaca, where the fresh leaf and its local names can be encountered without inventing a farm route.
What to notice
Look for the broad fresh leaf, ask whether it is called hoja santa or acuyo, and notice how the local dish or market context explains its use.
Source and further reading
- Piper sanctum / Piper auritum taxon recordCONABIO EncicloVida
Facts reviewed July 27, 2026. This profile does not extend the taxonomy record into unverified travel claims.