I have a plant that smells and tastes like my parsley but looks like this:
[img]https://grfkdesign.com/img/cpid1.JPG[/img]
[img]https://grfkdesign.com/img/cpid3.JPG[/img]
[img]https://grfkdesign.com/img/cpid2.JPG[/img]
I know there are tons of different types of herbs, can you tell me exactly what this one is? Mind you, it is seeding right now and I did just take a lot of the leaves for cooking a cuban soup. Thanks.
Also, my Mother-in-law gave me this plant, said it was basil. It has a very light scent to it. Is it basil? THANKS!
[img]https://grfkdesign.com/img/cpid4.JPG[/img]
- miagardener
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Not sure about the first 3 pictures but the last one is definitely basil. Now, what type basil is a good question. I prefer Sweet Basil and have grown Lemon Basil but no longer do. Sweet Basil is one of my favorites and I use it quite a bit. I'll toss some finely chopped leaves in salads, make bread with it, garlic and parmesian cheese, add it to baked potatoes along with all the other fixings. I find it adds a refreshing taste to lots of food. It's not just for red gravies.
- rainbowgardener
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- miagardener
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The plant in the first 3 photos taste just like a cilantro / parsley. I believe I have seen it sold in grocery stores here in Miami as cilantro actually. It tastes just like it. It's delicious and very flavorful. I put it in guacamole, soups, a lot of Mexican and Cuban dishes. Everyone who comes over and smells it wants to take it home to cook with. It doesn't have any flowers but as you can see it is seeding right now in the photos, the seeds and such are growing outside of the pot and that whole part of the plant that is seeding is very prickly!
As for the basil, it's used in pesto a lot, no?
Thanks for all of the replies, I love all of you guys on this forum.
As for the basil, it's used in pesto a lot, no?
Thanks for all of the replies, I love all of you guys on this forum.
- miagardener
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Oh and I looked up bedstraw and it is definitely NOT bedstraw. It is a herb. It didn't grow the stem which toppled over the side with all of the seeds on it until after awhile, it's usually just the pretty long leaves shown in the pot. I think it's a type of cilantro if I'm not mistaken, it tastes so identical to cilantro.
I have lot of seeds if anyone wants any!
I have lot of seeds if anyone wants any!
- miagardener
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parsley and cilantro have very different tastes in my opinion.
The leaves look very similar for some types.
In Mexico we always knew which was which because they would always leave the root for the cilantro -- I always wondered how we all knew .. (heh) .. is knowledge you are born with???
There is another Mexican herb called epazote -- it is very aromatic --but the leaves do not look quite right for that.
if you have both parsley and cilantro and you smell them -- cilantro is usually a much stronger smell.
I hope you find an identification!
The leaves look very similar for some types.
In Mexico we always knew which was which because they would always leave the root for the cilantro -- I always wondered how we all knew .. (heh) .. is knowledge you are born with???
There is another Mexican herb called epazote -- it is very aromatic --but the leaves do not look quite right for that.
if you have both parsley and cilantro and you smell them -- cilantro is usually a much stronger smell.
I hope you find an identification!
- microcollie
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Parsley and cilantro are indeed two different plants (Petroselinum and Coriandrum). Both have deeply lobed leaves which look nothing like the plant in question.
If there are seeds, then there were flowers at some point. If there are still any signs, maybe a photo of those? My curiosity is peaked now.
If there are seeds, then there were flowers at some point. If there are still any signs, maybe a photo of those? My curiosity is peaked now.
- miagardener
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- Troppofoodgardener
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I think I may have stumbled across an answer.miagardener wrote:Just a clarification. Parsley and cilantro are the same thing, aren't they? Don't they refer to parsley as the actual plant and cilantro as the seeds?
I agree with miagardener that pics 1-3 are not bedstraw, but it is definitely a type of cilantro, or coriander. Namely Sawtooth Coriander. It's also known as Thai Coriander, Thorny coriander or Thorny culantro. See below:
https://vietherbs.com/herb-directory/sawtooth-herb/
What we in Australasia call coriander is known as cilantro in the northern hemisphere. Parsley is different altogether... I'm not sure what this coriander tastes like, but I've been told it's stronger-flavoured than Sweet Coriander. Which confusingly LOOKS a bit like flat-leaf (Italian) parsley.
In my opinion, coriander and parsley taste quite different... But cilantro = coriander = culantro. Parsley is just parsley!
- rainbowgardener
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No, let's don't add to the confusion.
Culantro (I have heard) is similar tasting to cilantro but it is a different plant.
Cilantro = coriander sativum is the parsley looking one
Culantro = eryngium foetidum is the one that looks more like the pictures
https://www.caribbeanseeds.com/cilantro-culantro.htm
Culantro (I have heard) is similar tasting to cilantro but it is a different plant.
Cilantro = coriander sativum is the parsley looking one
Culantro = eryngium foetidum is the one that looks more like the pictures
https://www.caribbeanseeds.com/cilantro-culantro.htm
- applestar
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Now I'm completely confused :nutz:
But CULANTRO does look like OPs photo!
Ding, ding, ding! I do believe we have a winner!
Good job troppofoodgardener!
(and thanks rainbow for breaking down the scientific names )
I remember someone starting a thread asking if anyone here was growing culantro and not getting many replies.
But CULANTRO does look like OPs photo!
Ding, ding, ding! I do believe we have a winner!
Good job troppofoodgardener!
(and thanks rainbow for breaking down the scientific names )
I remember someone starting a thread asking if anyone here was growing culantro and not getting many replies.
Last edited by applestar on Tue Nov 09, 2010 7:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
- rainbowgardener
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yeah, here's an earlier cilantro vs culantro thread;
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=109925&highlight=culantro#109925
and here's one where someone posted pictures of their herbs including culantro and cilantro
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=98977&highlight=culantro#98977
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=109925&highlight=culantro#109925
and here's one where someone posted pictures of their herbs including culantro and cilantro
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=98977&highlight=culantro#98977
- Troppofoodgardener
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Okay... I was mistaken about the cilantro = culantro part. Cilantro = coriander is still correct. Parsley is just that. Culantro is all by itself too.
But cilantro is just another term for coriander, vice versa. Just like zucchini is called courgette in different parts of the world.
Thanks applestar for the credit. I can see why you're a Mod
But cilantro is just another term for coriander, vice versa. Just like zucchini is called courgette in different parts of the world.
Thanks applestar for the credit. I can see why you're a Mod
- miagardener
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Sawtooth Coriander (Eryngium foetidum)
I'm familiar with this herb because I've actually been wanting to grow some of it myself, but it's not readily available to purchase from nurseries here.
The Sawtooth Coriander is suggested to be a replacement for regular Sweet Coriander in the hot tropics, as the latter does not like high humidity and goes to seed quickly. (I know, I've tried!)
Here's another link on how to grow/harvest Sawtooth Coriander:
https://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/sep07/sep07_sawtoothcoriander.pdf
I'm familiar with this herb because I've actually been wanting to grow some of it myself, but it's not readily available to purchase from nurseries here.
The Sawtooth Coriander is suggested to be a replacement for regular Sweet Coriander in the hot tropics, as the latter does not like high humidity and goes to seed quickly. (I know, I've tried!)
Here's another link on how to grow/harvest Sawtooth Coriander:
https://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/sep07/sep07_sawtoothcoriander.pdf
Hey I guess this is already pretty much settled but yeah, the plant in the first 3 pics is widely grown and used here in Trinidad. We call it Chadon Beni. its Eryngium Foetidum.
people here boil the leaves and roots and drink the water for pneumonia, flu, diabetes and constipation
and the plant tops are used for seasoning. It makes anything taste amazing haha.
people here boil the leaves and roots and drink the water for pneumonia, flu, diabetes and constipation
and the plant tops are used for seasoning. It makes anything taste amazing haha.
- miagardener
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THANK YOU SO MUCH ALL OF YOU WONDERFUL KNOWLEDGEABLE GARDENERS! IT IS CULANTRO!!!!!!!!!!!! TOO BAD THE GROCERY STORE HAS IT LISTED AS CILANTRO ON THE PACKAGE. I LOVE IT! I AM SO GLAD I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS. I HAVE TONS OF SEEDS THAT I COLLECTED YESTERDAY, IF YOU'D LIKE SOME THEN SEND ME A SASE I WILL SEND YOU SOME SEEDS, IT'S DELICIOUS!
THANKS AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THANKS AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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This is what is called Spiny Cilantro or Mexican Cilantro (or if your using the seeds Mexican Coriander)
if you look it up on Google images you will see that this kind of Cilantro has flat basal leaves but the tops are Spiny (thus the name spiny cilantro)
Also that last plant looks a bit like Lime Basil, which of course is a basil it just is not as pungent as sweet or mammoth basil.
if you look it up on Google images you will see that this kind of Cilantro has flat basal leaves but the tops are Spiny (thus the name spiny cilantro)
Also that last plant looks a bit like Lime Basil, which of course is a basil it just is not as pungent as sweet or mammoth basil.
The first plant looks like recao or culantro (common in puertorrican food and other caribbean foods). In English it is called Long coriander or spiny coriander. The latin name is Eryngium foetidum L. This is a very common herb in latin food. My mother uses it with a lot of meals. It is added to soups, beans, stews, etc. Once the meal is done, just remove the leaves before serving. It grows very well, hard to kill and yes, it has a very strong odor. I love it, it is great.