Culantro

[spyfferoni]

Has anyone grown Culantro/Recao? It is an herb similar in taste to Cilantro but stronger. It has long jagged leaves. I have never grown it before, but would like to try this year to make Sofrito and Recaito. I usually just use Cilantro. I am still trying to figure out the best place to grow herbs. I tried growing some in a flower bed out front but they didn't fair well. I didn't harden them off, so I think they got too much sun. I have heard Culantro does best in partial shade.
Anyone have any experience with this herb???

Thanks,
Tyffanie

[ACEHearts]

I've only grown cilantro once, and it was in my flower bed/herb garden. If the size of the plant is any indication, it grew very well there (it got full sun all morning, then shade in the afternoon). Of course I didn't know what I was doing, so it probably bolted and thats why it got so huge! I'm growing it again this year, but starting it out a bit later so that it's ready when I need it for making salsa, and doesn't turn into an overgrown stinky bush!

Cindy

[honu]

Yes, I love culantro and grew it in a pot. It was much easier for me to grow that cilantro -- cilantro required shade in my yard, but even then, would constantly bolt because of our heat, and be attacked by aphids. Culantro had none of those problems, and required very little care and attention. However, I still preferred the softer tender cilantro for certain dishes since culantro has tough leaves with pokey edges. Culantro is wonderful as a last minute addition to hot pho (Vietnamese soup).

[Fert1]

I tried to grow Culantro from seed this year and had no luck at all. The seeds are tiny, and the little plants that germinated were equally tiny. They also seemed to grow VERY slowly. So that is was almost impossible to keep them alive long enough to grow into anything, due to them being so very tiny and fragile.

Luckily I found a Culantro plant at our local Publix. It looks like the real thing from what I can tell. I got a good sized plant for $1.99, and I think it self propagates from the roots from what I've read. If you plant seeds, you need more patience than I have.

[mdvpc]

Culantro can be very difficult to germinate. It grows almost wild in Cuba and Puerto Rico and is used in the cuisine of those two areas. I grew it once for a dear friend of ours who is from PR, and it has an unmistakeable flavor-you either like it or you dont. Its great in bean dishes (at least in my opinion). Germination can take a long time.

[Fert1]

I like culantro in seafood soups and stews. It seems to counter the fishy flavor nicely.

[mdvpc]

I am growing it now for myself and friends from Puerto Rico-it germinated slow, but is going now. Its in a one gallon pot, and will go into the greenhouse soon for the winter.

[Polar_Lace]

PDF from Web Site: www.johnnyseeds.com - Growing Culantro

[spyfferoni]

I have some culantro growing in my kitchen window sill. It is sure slow growing, planted in April, it has produced leaves, but much smaller than what I used to buy in Puerto Rico. I had hoped to have enough to make sofrito with my peppers this fall, but I will have to substitute cilantro instead. Should I have put it outside? How big of a difference would that make?

Thanks,
Tyffanie

[Fert1]

Mine died when I put it outdoors. It's an awfully tiny and fragile plant when it first comes up. I finally found a potted plant of a decent size, and just bought it. I had no luck with growing from seed. I'm sure it can be done, but it's not an easy task.

[mdvpc]

Holly-this is a hot, humid weather shady type of plant-grows almost wild in Puerto Rico. Germination takes as much as 2 weeks.

[mdvpc]

I posted this photo earlier, but it didnt show up for some reason. Here is a small pot of recao that I germinated recently.