Overview

Bring the authentic taste of the tropics to your kitchen with a healthy culantro live plant. Known for its strong, pungent aroma and flavor, often described as more intense than cilantro, culantro is a staple in Caribbean, Latin American, and Asian cuisines. This robust herb, often called sawtoothed coriander or Mexican coriander, arrives as a thriving plant, typically 5 to 7 inches tall, ready to be transplanted into your garden or a larger pot. Its long, serrated leaves are highly prized for their culinary versatility, adding depth to soups, stews, and marinades. Growing your own ensures a fresh supply of this unique ingredient right at your fingertips.

Culantro (Eryngium foetidum) is a tropical perennial herb that is relatively easy to grow, making it suitable for gardeners of all experience levels. Unlike its cousin cilantro, culantro is more heat-tolerant and less prone to bolting in warm weather, providing a longer harvesting season. This resilient plant is perfect for those looking to expand their herb garden with a distinctive and flavorful addition.

Key Benefits

Our culantro live plant offers numerous advantages for both culinary enthusiasts and home gardeners:

• Authentic Flavor Enhancement: Harvest fresh culantro leaves to infuse your dishes with an intense, aromatic flavor that is crucial for many traditional recipes, from sofrito to pho. Its distinct taste sets it apart from other herbs.
• Extended Harvest Season: Unlike cilantro, culantro is less likely to bolt in warm conditions, allowing for a longer period of harvesting fresh leaves throughout the growing season, especially in tropical or subtropical climates.
• Versatile Growing Options: This tropical herb thrives equally well whether grown in a sunny spot on a windowsill indoors or as part of an outdoor herb garden. Its adaptability makes it suitable for various living spaces.
• Ease of Cultivation: Growing culantro indoors or outdoors is straightforward. With basic care, including adequate sunlight and consistent moisture, this plant will produce abundant leaves, making it a rewarding addition to any garden.
• Unique Culinary Ingredient: Often referred to as sawtoothed coriander, culantro provides a unique taste profile that is hard to replicate, making it an indispensable ingredient for those who enjoy authentic ethnic cooking.
• Aromatic Garden Addition: Even beyond its culinary uses, the culantro plant contributes a pleasant, distinct aroma to your garden or indoor space, adding an exotic touch to your plant collection.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your culantro live plant is relatively simple, ensuring a bountiful harvest of flavorful leaves. This tropical herb prefers warm conditions and consistent moisture. For sunlight, culantro thrives in partial shade, especially in hotter climates where direct afternoon sun can be too intense. If growing indoors, place it near a window that receives bright, indirect light for several hours a day. Outdoors, choose a spot that gets morning sun and afternoon shade.

Watering is crucial for culantro. The soil should be kept consistently moist but not waterlogged. Check the soil daily and water when the top inch feels dry to the touch. Good drainage is essential to prevent root rot, so ensure your pot or garden bed has adequate drainage holes. A well-draining potting mix, ideally one rich in organic matter, is recommended. Culantro prefers slightly acidic to neutral soil (pH 6.0-7.0).

Culantro is a tender perennial, typically grown as an annual in cooler climates. It prefers temperatures between 70-85°F (21-29°C) and can be sensitive to frost. In USDA zones 9-11, it can be grown outdoors year-round. In other zones, it’s best to grow it in containers that can be brought indoors during colder months, or treat it as an annual. Fertilize sparingly with a balanced liquid fertilizer every 4-6 weeks during the growing season. While generally hardy, keep an eye out for common garden pests like aphids, and address them with organic pest control methods if necessary. Regular harvesting of the outer leaves will encourage new growth and keep your Mexican coriander plant bushy and productive.

Size & Details

This offering includes one healthy culantro live plant, which stands approximately 5 to 7 inches tall. It comes pre-potted in a 4-inch nursery pot, providing a stable environment for its initial growth and easy transition to your garden or a larger container. Culantro plants typically grow to a mature height of 8-12 inches, with a similar spread, forming a compact rosette of leaves. The growth rate is moderate, and with proper care, you can expect to begin harvesting leaves within a few weeks of planting. This plant is shipped in its nursery pot with soil, ensuring it arrives healthy and ready for its new home. It’s a fantastic value for anyone looking to add fresh, aromatic herbs to their culinary repertoire.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this culantro plant get? A: This culantro live plant typically arrives 5 to 7 inches tall in a 4-inch pot. At maturity, it generally reaches a height of 8-12 inches with a similar spread, forming a compact rosette.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Culantro is versatile and can thrive both indoors and outdoors. It prefers warm conditions and can be grown on a sunny windowsill or in an outdoor garden bed, especially in partial shade.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: This plant prefers partial shade, particularly in hot climates, where it benefits from protection from intense afternoon sun. Indoors, aim for bright, indirect light.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, culantro is relatively easy to care for, especially compared to cilantro. It requires consistent moisture and warm temperatures but is less prone to bolting in heat. It’s an excellent choice for beginners interested in growing culantro indoors.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your culantro plant will arrive healthy and vibrant, securely packaged in its 4-inch nursery pot with soil, ready for immediate planting or transplanting.
• Q: Can I use culantro in cooking? A: Absolutely! Culantro, also known as sawtoothed coriander, is a culinary powerhouse. Its strong, pungent flavor is a key ingredient in many Caribbean, Latin American, and Asian dishes.
• Q: How long until I can harvest leaves? A: With proper care, you can typically begin harvesting the outer leaves of your Mexican coriander plant within a few weeks of receiving it, encouraging further growth.
• Q: What’s the best soil for culantro? A: Culantro prefers well-draining soil rich in organic matter. A good quality potting mix with some compost added works well for container growing.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: Culantro is a tropical perennial. In USDA zones 9-11, it can survive outdoors year-round. In colder zones, it should be brought indoors during winter or treated as an annual.
• Q: Is culantro the same as cilantro? A: While related, culantro has a much stronger flavor and aroma than cilantro and is more heat-tolerant. It’s often called sawtoothed coriander due to its leaf shape.