Vietnamese coriander
Persicaria odorata (Lour.) Soják
Vietnamese coriander (Persicaria odorata) is a creeping herb with narrow pointed leaves and a distinctive pungent aroma; eaten with balut, salads and soups, and used in traditional medicine to warm the stomach, fight bacteria and aid digestion.
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Vietnamese corianderOverview
Vietnamese coriander is a perennial herb that creeps or stands upright, with often reddish, jointed stems; its lance-shaped leaves are alternate and bear a characteristic dark-purple V-shaped mark. Small pinkish-white flowers cluster at the tips; the plant rarely sets fertile seed and is propagated mainly by cuttings.
The plant is native to Southeast Asia and is widely used in Vietnamese cuisine. It is eaten raw as a herb, served with balut, salads and soups, and used to season and deodorise seafood. In traditional medicine it is pungent and warming, said to warm the digestion, promote appetite and act as an antibacterial; it should not be eaten in excess.
Distribution & origin
Share of recorded occurrences by region- Southeast Asia50%
- Vietnam30%
- Others20%
Chemical composition
Relative content in agarwood resin- Essential oil (aldehydes)Characteristic aroma40%
- FlavonoidsAntioxidant30%
- TanninsMild antibacterial30%
Uses
- Eaten raw with balut, salads and soups
- Used to season and deodorise seafood
- Traditional medicine: warming, digestive, antibacterial
Properties
- Taste
- Pungent, mildly spicy aroma
- Use
- Culinary herb and traditional medicine
Habitat & conservation
Humid tropics; likes light shade; often grown around homes and ditches.
Conservation
Widely grown and used; not threatened.
References
- 1Kew Science – Plants of the World Online: Persicaria odorata — Kew (Plants of the World Online), 2026
- 2Wikipedia – Persicaria odorata — Wikipedia, 2026