Description

Culantro is an herb that has a similar flavor to the common cilantro, but the flavor is stronger. Culantro and cilantro belong to the same family, which is the Apiaceae family. It grows as a biannual or a short lived perennial, but it can also be grown as an annual. Culantro can be used in many dishes to add a cilantro flavor. It is native to tropical America and is used in local dishes to season food, while also being used in some Asian dishes.

Seeds should be surface sown and can take a few weeks to germinate. I have tried germinating the seeds with the paper towel method somewhere dark and in sunlight. The seeds that were in the dark did not germinate while almost all the seeds that received sunlight germinated. The plant has a long tap root and does not transplant well. Ideally, direct sow seed your seeds where you plan to grow the culantro and avoid transplanting when possible.

If you are in a more temperate climate you can grow culantro as an annual. In tropical regions, like South Florida, culantro can grow for more than a year and flower. After it flowers and sets seeds it is likely you will see many volunteer plants. Culantro can be grown in full sun but it does best with some shade. Once the plant begins to flower leaf production slows down. To harvest culantro you can remove the outer mature leaves and use those fresh. If you need to take out the whole plant then you can hang it up to dry. After it is dry you, you can remove the leaves and blend them up into a powder to use later as a seasoning. We use culantro to flavor beans and soups. You can also use it as a substitute for cilantro in a pinch.