Culantro
Eryngium foetidum L.
Culantro (Eryngium foetidum) is an aromatic herb of the carrot family with a distinctive strong aroma; heat-tolerant, it is eaten with phở, soups and salads and used to season meat — also called long coriander.
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SpiritweedSpiritweedCulantroOverview
Culantro is a short annual to biennial herb 10–40 cm tall; its lance-shaped leaves form a basal rosette, with sharply toothed (spiny-looking) margins, dark green, tough and strongly aromatic. Tiny greenish flowers cluster into conical heads at the top, ringed by spiny bracts.
Culantro originated in Central America and the West Indies and is grown throughout tropical Asia; in Vietnam it is a familiar herb served with phở, noodles, sour soup and salads, and used to marinate grilled meat. It keeps its aroma when cooked and tolerates sun well, so it is easy to grow around the home. Traditional medicine uses it to stimulate digestion and promote lactation.
Life cycle
From seed to productSeed & germination
The plant is propagated mainly by **seed**: sow fresh or pre-treated seed in loose, moist soil and keep it evenly damp; germination follows within a few weeks.
Seedling & growth
Seedlings establish, forming leaves and roots; growth rate depends on light and moisture.
Flowering
The plant blooms with **small green umbel flowers, May–August**; pollination is by insects and wind.
Fruiting & harvest
After each cut the plant regrows young leaves from stems and shoots; **leaves picked year-round, best from 2–3-month-old plants**.
Distribution & origin
Share of recorded occurrences by region- Central America & West Indies30%
- Southeast Asia40%
- Vietnam20%
- Others10%
Chemical composition
Relative content in agarwood resin- Essential oil (aldehydes)Characteristic strong aroma45%
- FlavonoidsAntioxidant30%
- Calcium, ironMinerals25%
Uses
- Served with phở, noodles, sour soup, salads
- Seasons grilled meat and fish
- Traditional medicine: digestion, lactation
Properties
- Taste
- Strong, mildly spicy, tough
- Use
- Culinary herb and medicine
Habitat & conservation
Humid tropics; tolerates sun and part shade; friable soil.
Conservation
Widely cultivated; not threatened.
References
- 1Kew Science – Plants of the World Online: Eryngium foetidum — Kew (Plants of the World Online), 2026
- 2Wikipedia – Eryngium foetidum — Wikipedia, 2026