Ashleigh Smith + photo

Ashleigh Smith

Jan 11
2 min read
bubble 1
A bundle of culantro sitting on a wood table with some cut up on a cutting board

What is Culantro?

I’ll be honest here, the first time I saw culantro written out I thought someone had just miss-spelled cilantro. Nope. Culantro is its own awesome plant. It is a lot like cilantro though.

It is often used interchangeably with it as it shares a very citrusy flavor and aroma. Culantro is different though as it has a stronger, peppery flavor and aroma that holds up through cooking, unlike cilantro.

Culantro is most popularly used in Caribbean, Latin American, and Southeast Asian cooking, but it is grown in tropical zones around the world.

As it grows it will develop a rosette shape with long, 2 inch wide lance-shaped leaves. If it bolts you can see its green flowers.

Culantro is useful for more than cooking, it is also good to plant in your garden to attract beneficial insects and prevent pesky aphids. Unlike cilantro, culantro is a biennial allowing you to get more use out of one plant.

To grow culantro, plant in the spring after the danger of frost has passed. It does best in full sun but can handle partial shade as well. Ideally, culantro will want a warm tropical climate but can grow in USDA plant hardiness zones 7-11.

Culantro seeds can be found through Kitazawa Seed Co. as they carry an array of seed for plants used in Asian cuisine.

When you are ready to harvest, cut the leaves off as you can use them. These leaves do not store well after being cut, only lasting about a week.

After bolting, remove the entire plant and allow it to dry for long term storage. Culantro seeds can usually be stored for 2 years before viability starts declining.

Other Names:

  • ngo gai
  • Shado beni
  • Chardon beni
  • Bandhaniya
  • Samat
  • Alcapate
  • Cilantro de monte
  • Cilantro habanero
  • Mexican coriander
  • Sneki wiwiri
  • Fitweed
  • Spiritweed
  • Stinkweed
  • duck -tongue herb
  • Sawtooth or saw-leaf herb
  • Broadleaf Cilantro

Our Recommended Picks

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

1 comments

emerson

Hi from Ft Lauderdale, Florida. I found Culantro in a local Caribbean grocery store ad today. Like a lot of people it seems, I thought they misspelled cilantro. I looked it up and found your site. Thanks for the info.


  1. Garden Guardians: The Top Beneficial Insects for Natural Pest ControlPraying mantis

    Garden Guardians: The Top Beneficial Insects for Natural Pest Control

    Written By Lara Wadsworth The garden is a complex ecosystem that relies on a mix of organisms to create a flourishing growing environment. While pests can lead to destructive damage, beneficial insects act as a balance by consuming them before they com...


    Ashleigh Smith + photo

    Ashleigh Smith

    2025-07-15
    4 min read
    bubble 0
  2. Soil Amendments for Increasing Water Retentionraindrops on leaves

    Soil Amendments for Increasing Water Retention

    Written By Lara Wadsworth You’re likely here because you suspect that your garden or potting soil is not holding onto water long enough for the plants to use it. Water retention is crucial for plant health and can be the difference between a thriving v...


    Ashleigh Smith + photo

    Ashleigh Smith

    2025-07-09
    6 min read
    bubble 0
  3. Grass to Garden: A Beginner’s Guide to Rototilling Your Lawngardener tilling grass into a garden bed

    Grass to Garden: A Beginner’s Guide to Rototilling Your Lawn

    Written By Lara Wadsworth Turn a patch of grass, weeds, or turf into a ready-to-plant garden bed with the rototilling method. While no-till gardens have been gaining popularity, completely transforming your growing area from thick turf to a thriving ve...


    Ashleigh Smith + photo

    Ashleigh Smith

    2025-07-09
    7 min read
    bubble 1
  4. What a No-Till Michigan Market Farm Can Teach You About Growing FoodSustainable Green Wagon Michigan Farm growing kale

    What a No-Till Michigan Market Farm Can Teach You About Growing Food

    Written By Lara Wadsworth I drove 20 minutes out of the city, past the Grand Rapids airport, with airplanes flying overhead. My GPS instructs me to turn down a dirt road, and I slowly drive to the end of the lane. Passing homes and countless trees, I f...


    Ashleigh Smith + photo

    Ashleigh Smith

    2025-07-02
    8 min read
    bubble 0