🌿 Herb Spotlight: Culantro
Common name: Culantro
Botanical name: Eryngium foetidum
Family: Apiaceae
Don't let the name fool you—culantro is not the same as cilantro! While the two herbs share a similar flavor profile, culantro has long, serrated leaves and a much bolder, more intense flavor. A staple in the cuisines of Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, Southeast Asia, and Puerto Rico, culantro is prized for its ability to add deep, herbaceous flavor to soups, stews, salsas, and marinades.
If you love cooking authentic Latin American dishes, culantro is an herb you'll want growing just outside your kitchen door.
🌱 Why Grow Culantro?
1. Bold, Authentic Flavor
Culantro has a stronger, longer-lasting flavor than cilantro, making it perfect for slow-cooked dishes.
2. Heat Tolerant
Unlike cilantro, which quickly bolts in summer heat; culantro thrives during the hottest months.
3. Continuous Harvest
Harvest outer leaves regularly, and the plant will continue producing throughout the season.
4. A Culinary Treasure
Essential in many traditional Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Caribbean recipes.
🌿 Growing & Care
☀️ Light
Prefers morning sun and afternoon shade
Can tolerate full sun with adequate moisture
🌧️ Water
Keep soil consistently moist
Do not allow plants to dry out completely
🌱 Soil
Rich, well-draining soil
Benefits from compost and regular watering
🌿 Growth Habit
Forms a low-growing rosette of long, serrated leaves
Typically grows 12–18 inches tall
Sends up a flower stalk if allowed to mature
Tip: Remove flower stalks as they appear to encourage more leaf production.
🌡️ Climate & Zones
Hardy in USDA Zones 10–11
Grown as an annual in cooler climates
🌬️ Growing Culantro in Zone 5
Culantro loves warm weather and appreciates a little protection from the hottest afternoon sun.
Tips for Success:
Plant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed.
Choose a location with morning sun and afternoon shade.
Water consistently, especially during hot, dry weather.
Grow in containers or raised beds for easy harvesting.
Harvest outer leaves often to keep plants producing.
Unlike cilantro, culantro becomes happier as summer temperatures climb.
🌿 Harvesting Culantro
🌱 What to Harvest
Harvest the outer leaves, leaving the center of the plant intact.
🌞 When to Harvest
Begin once leaves reach 6–8 inches long.
Harvest regularly for the most tender, flavorful leaves.
🌮 How to Use Culantro
Culantro is much stronger than cilantro
Use it in:
Salsas
Sofrito
Black beans
Rice dishes
Pozole
Chicken soups
Marinades
Tacos and enchiladas
Tip: One culantro leaf can often replace several sprigs of cilantro.
🌶️ Authentic Salsa Verde with Culantro
This fresh, tangy salsa is delicious with tacos, grilled meats, burritos, or tortilla chips.
Ingredients
A pound of tomatillos, husked and rinsed
2–3 jalapeños or serrano peppers
2 cloves garlic
2–3 fresh culantro leaves, roughly chopped
¼ small white onion
Juice of ½ lime
Salt to taste
Directions
Boil the toatillos and peppers for 8–10 minutes until softened.
Transfer to a blender with garlic, onion, culantro, lime juice, and salt.
Blend until smooth or slightly chunky, depending on your preference.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Serve with tacos, grilled chicken, carnitas, enchiladas, or fresh tortilla chips.
Garden Tip: Add a few leaves of cilantro along with the culantro for an extra layer of fresh flavor if you have both growing in your garden.
🌸 Final Thoughts
If you enjoy cooking authentic Latin American or Caribbean cuisine, culantro is a hidden gem worth discovering. Its bold flavor, heat tolerance, and easy-growing nature make it an excellent addition to the summer herb garden—especially when cilantro starts to fade in the heat.
Come visit The Flower Bin to pick up a culantro plant and bring authentic, garden-fresh flavors to your favorite recipes! 🌿🌮
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