Anyone with experience of Vietnamese Coriander (Periscaria odorata)? I purchase a potted plant recently and it is awaiting planting out when frost danger has passed. Label states leaves having v hot spicy flavour and advises using sparingly to begin with. Comments most welcome.

Definitely an "acquired taste"
Unless you live somewhere with a climate far more clement than the one we suffer in Bristol, I wouldn't put it out at all. Kept in a tunnel it can become quite invasive. Useful "indicator plant", I use it to tell me when to water as it's always the first to droop.
Anthony

Hi Eric,

I bought one last year, but have to echo what Anthony said---mine hasn't thrived at all.

Linda

Thanks for the input. Have kept it indoors and it certainly does react rapidly to lack of water. I have kept it moist but am finding that it does appear to be under stress; maybe a combination of water and cool bathroom where it is overwintering.

Consider growing this plant in a container.

Okay this is a daft question but... I've avoided growing this herb as I don't like the smell or taste of fresh coriander (love the seeds mind you), how similar is it in taste to coriander? Whenever I see this herb it mentally reminds me of wild herb Redshank (Persicaria maculosa), they're both from the same family I've just discovered, so no wonder they remind me of each other! Redshank was one of the first wild herbs that I learned to identify growing on the waste grounds around Manchester where I grew up. Until today I'd never considered it as more than a wild plant, but I've just googled and discovered that;-

1) Redshank is used against diarrhoea and infections. Fresh leaves have been used to staunch bleeding.

2) The leaves and young shoots may be eaten as a palatable and nutritious leaf vegetable.

3) A yellow dye can be produced from this plant with alum used as a mordant.

3 jolly good reasons to take a further look at this wild beauty this year, a bit like pineapple weed last year! Sorry for highjacking the thread, but I would like to know what V Coriander tastes like?

Debs

Hi Debs. My only comment is that the leaf tasted quite spicy but I was most interested in your comparison with redshank of which it does have a v close resemblance. My dissapointment however is that despite bringing the plants indoors.( I had 2) I have lost one and the other is looking decidedly ropy. This does tie in with the experiences of others. Dissapointing realy as I was looking to compare it with coriander and to see if it did fit into a culinary role.

Hi eric
I know it's over a year on since your post but i would like to add a small comment for any one else that passes through and reads this thread.

I also live in Bristol and have a very healthy and happy Vietnamese corriander plant living in a pot in the garden & it does so well that i take cuttings from it to which are then grown on the kitchen window ledge.
As long as the plant has been a climatised from being in a green house or poly tunnel when young it seems to do ok in a nice sunny well drain soil to which i feed it organic tomatoe food here and there during the summer.
I also grow thai basil in the same location with success.

Best wishes

Darren

Ps Make sure the white fly our kept off it