Vietnamese Coriander (Rau Ram)
Persicaria odorata
Family Polygonaceae
Rau ram is the taste that makes Vietnamese food unmistakably itself — peppery, lemony leaves with cilantro's warmth, scattered fresh over pho, spring rolls, and chicken salad. Vietnamese coriander never bolts and never runs out; every handful you pick just prompts more.
It loves water the way most herbs fear it — content sprawling from a pot kept properly moist — and any cutting roots within days, so one plant becomes a supply chain. Frost-tender, it simply moves indoors for winter. Keep it within arm's reach of wherever you make dinner.
Full Sun to Part Shade
High water
Fast growth
From the print shop
Growing vietnamese coriander (rau ram)? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries vietnamese coriander (rau ram) — Persicaria odorata, print Nº 496, “Vietnamese Coriander (Rau Ram).”
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Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what vietnamese coriander (rau ram) actually needs.
Life cycleTender perennial, grown as an annualVietnamese Coriander (Rau Ram) · Common problems
Common vietnamese coriander (rau ram) problems
Pests
1 problem on file
- Almost none
Diseases
1 problem on file
- Almost none
Vietnamese Coriander (Rau Ram) · Growing & propagation
Growing vietnamese coriander (rau ram)
- Light
- Full Sun to Part Shade
- Water
- Moderate-High
Likes it moist, even boggy
Soil- Rich, moist · pH 6.0 - 7.0
Fertilizer- Light monthly
Pruning- Pinch to keep bushy
A cilantro substitute with a peppery, lemony, warm bite — the fresh herb strewn over Vietnamese pho, spring rolls, and gà (chicken) salad. It's a spreading, moisture-loving perennial that roots wherever it touches damp soil (great in a pot standing in water). Not hardy, but it roots instantly from cuttings and winters happily on a bright windowsill.
Spacing- 12 in
How to plant & propagate vietnamese coriander (rau ram)
- Propagate
- Division or seed
Vietnamese Coriander (Rau Ram) · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Vietnamese Coriander (Rau Ram) · Yearly calendar
The vietnamese coriander (rau ram) year, month by month
Jan
HarvestJanuary to December
HarvestHarvestJanuary to December
What each band means
- Harvest — picking time — check ripeness every few days.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Vietnamese Coriander (Rau Ram) · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Persicaria odorata
Vietnamese Coriander (Rau Ram) in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer perennial
Moisture- Wetland / wet-tolerant
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
Origin- Introduced
What vietnamese coriander (rau ram) is grown for
✓ Commonly eaten
- Use
- Pho & spring rolls
- Use
- Water-loving herb
- Use
- Cuttings
- Edible value
- 3/5
Harvesting & storing vietnamese coriander (rau ram)
Peppery, cilantro-lemon leaves year-round — the fresh herb of Vietnamese cooking (pho, spring rolls, chicken salad).
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.
Vietnamese Coriander (Rau Ram) · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a vietnamese coriander (rau ram) variety
Species (rau ram)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Vietnamese Coriander (Rau Ram)
Persicaria odorata
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Persicaria odorata
- Plant family
- Polygonaceae
- Growth habit
- Perennial · Tender Perennial
- Origin
- Introduced
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
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.
Questions
Vietnamese Coriander (Rau Ram) questions, answered straight.
Is vietnamese coriander (rau ram) safe for kids and pets?
Vietnamese Coriander (Rau Ram) 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 vietnamese coriander (rau ram)?
Peppery, cilantro-lemon leaves year-round — the fresh herb of Vietnamese cooking (pho, spring rolls, chicken salad).
How do you propagate vietnamese coriander (rau ram)?
Division or seed.
Elsewhere
Where vietnamese coriander (rau ram) sits in the library.
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