Coriander, Mexican


Scientific Name: Eryngium foetidum
Common Name: Mexican Coriander
Other Common Names: Culantro, spiny or serrated coriander, shado beni, bhandhania, chadron benee, coulante (Haiti), recao, fit weed, azier la fièvre, chardon étoilé, Puerto Rican coriander, shado benni, false coriander, shadow-beni, stinkweed, fitweed, long coriander, mexican coriander, ngo gai, spiritweed, bhandhania, false corriander, ketumbar Java, thorny coriander, long corriander, German Langer Koriander, Mexicanischer Koriander, Black Benny, Saw leaf herb, Saw tooth coriander, Spiny coriander, Fitweed, Chardon étoile fétide, Panicaut fétide, Herbe puante, Coriandre mexicain; Coulante, Hindi Bhandhania, Bhandhanya, Hosszú koriander, Mexikói koriander, Puerto Ricó-i koriander, Indonesian Walangan, Khmer Chi banla, Chi baraing, Chi sangkaech, Chi pa-la, Chi parang, Laotian Phak Hom thet, Malay Ketumbar Jawa, Spanish Culantro, Recao, Racao, Shado beni; Chadron benee, Alcapate, Cilantro habanero, Cilantro extranjero, Mexikansk koriander, Thai Pak chi farang, Hom-pomkula, Mae-lae-doe, Phakchi farang, Ngo gai, Mui tau, Ngo tay
Plant Type: Tender Perennial
Where To Plant: Full Sun to Partly Shady
Soil Types: Average
Zones (See US Zone map): 11-13 Needs Heat. Good pot plant.
Germination: Medium. Do not over-water the young seedlings for they will dampen off easily.
Number of Seeds Per Pack: 50
Uses: Culinary
Notes: Use like Coriander in Asia and Latin American. Can be dried and used later in salads and cooking.

Native to Central America, but now cultivated throughout Southeast Asia and Latin America. Favored where the true coriander (Coriandrum sativum) does not do well because it can stand hot, steamy weather. Leaves are tough, but if sliced and then chopped they are quite tasty. Unlike other corianders, this variety dries well, retaining good color and flavor, and it can stand some cooking - properties that may become significant to the dried spice market.