The Chia Pet was marketed and popularized by Joseph Pedott. Pedott first learned about "something called the Chia Pet" being imported from Oaxaca, Mexico when he attended a housewares show in Chicago in 1977. Negotiating the rights from importer Walter Houston, Pedott began marketing Chia Pets in the US.

When you think about it, a chia pet is a figurine made out of terra cotta clay (the same as most flower pots) and is covered with chia seeds that you sprout into hair or fur.

Joseph Pedott, entrepreneur who made Chia Pets and the Clapper household names, dead at 91. CHICAGO (CBS) -- You may not recognize the Chicago native's name, but chances are you know the work of Joseph Pedott.

CHIA PET SEEDS ARE EDIBLE (BUT YOU STILL SHOULDN'T EAT THEM). Chia seeds aren't just for growing - they're also for eating. In recent years, health buffs have anointed the small, crunchy seeds as a new “super food,” as they're packed with omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, protein, and fiber.

And your favorite painter Bob Ross Chia fantastic just spread the seeds water. And watch it grow.

Chia seeds come from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family. Salvia hispanica seed often is sold under its common name "chia" as well as several trademarked names. Its origin is believed to be in Central America where the seed was a staple in the ancient Aztec diet.

However, the species grown on the chia Pet is Salvia hispanica . The Chia was a major food for the aztecs and Indians. They roasted the seeds, mixed them with water and eaten them as gruel or ground into baking. The Aztecs also used Chia for Oil face painting and as ointment and emoilent.

Yes, They're the Same Seeds from Chia Pets By 1982, the first commercially available Chia Pet was sold using the infamous time lapse ad campaigns. Blame Spanish Conquistadores for obscuring the health benefits of chia seeds.

Central America Its origin is believed to be in Central America where the seed was a staple in the ancient Aztec diet. The seeds of a related plant, Salvia columbariae (golden chia), were used primarily by Native Americans in the southwestern United States. Chia seeds have gained attention as an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acid.

The Chia Co The Chia Co The Chia Co. is the world's biggest producer of chia seeds.

The “Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia!” jingle is known across generations, and more than 25 million Chia Pets have been sold to date. Chia Pets are even in the Smithsonian! Learn more about the history of this unique, American icon below.

Chia seeds come from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family. Salvia hispanica seed often is sold under its common name "chia" as well as several trademarked names. Its origin is believed to be in Central America where the seed was a staple in the ancient Aztec diet.

The “Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia!” jingle is known across generations, and more than 25 million Chia Pets have been sold to date. Chia Pets are even in the Smithsonian! Learn more about the history of this unique, American icon below.

1982 And while Pedott wasn't an inventor, he was a gifted marketer; in 1982, he began airing TV spots for his first Chia Pet - a ram - along with the catchy “Ch-ch-ch-Chia!” jingle (see bottom photo caption).

Choose Chia seeds from Mexico, Ecuador, or Bolivia These countries have been producing chia seeds for hundreds of years. Their location provides the most optimum conditions for the best grown and most nutritious chia seeds.

Chia is grown and consumed commercially in its native Mexico and Guatemala, as well as Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Nicaragua, northwestern Argentina, parts of Australia, and the southwestern United States.