The illustrated growing guide
Culantro (Recao)
Eryngium foetidum
Family Apiaceae
Est. zones 2-11
The cilantro that won't quit — long saw-toothed leaves with a cilantro flavor turned way up and, crucially, stable in heat and cooking (unlike bolt-prone cilantro). It's the backbone of Caribbean sofrito and a staple across Southeast Asia. Grow it in part shade, keep it picked, and one plant out-flavors a whole cilantro patch.
Part Shade
Moderate water
Moderate growth
From the print shop
The closest print we make
We don’t print Eryngium foetidum. The closest we have is Eryngium yuccifolium (“Rattlesnake Master”) in the Prairie Flowers collection — the same genus, Eryngium, not the same species.
16 designsfrom $21.99white or black groundmatte poster, unframed
I
Overview
Will culantro (recao) suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what culantro (recao) actually needs.
Life cycleTender perennial, grown as an annualCulantro (Recao) at a glance
Common culantro (recao) problems
- Slugs
- Snails
- Almost none
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Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow culantro (recao): light, water & soil
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The year
What culantro (recao) asks for, month by month.
The culantro (recao) year, month by month
No fixed season calendar for culantro (recao) — its care follows conditions, not the calendar.
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Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Culantro (Recao) in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer biennial
What culantro (recao) is grown for
✓ Commonly eaten
Harvesting & storing culantro (recao)
Long serrated leaves — a much STRONGER, heat-stable version of cilantro flavor, essential in Caribbean sofrito and Southeast Asian cooking.
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
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Cultivars
Named varieties of culantro (recao), ruled as a catalogue.
Best culantro (recao) varieties & cultivars
Species (recao / ngo gai / sawtooth coriander)
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Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to culantro (recao)yet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
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Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
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Questions
Culantro (Recao) questions, answered straight.
Is culantro (recao) safe for kids and pets?
Culantro (Recao) is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
When do you harvest culantro (recao)?
Long serrated leaves — a much STRONGER, heat-stable version of cilantro flavor, essential in Caribbean sofrito and Southeast Asian cooking.
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Elsewhere
Where culantro (recao) sits in the library.
Comfrey
Lavender
Rosemary
Anise Hyssop