How to grow Rau Ram (Vietnamese Coriander)
Updated October 2026
Rau ram (Persicaria odorata), also called Vietnamese coriander, Vietnamese mint or laksa leaf, is a spicy, peppery, cilantro-like herb used fresh in Southeast Asian dishes. Despite the name Vietnamese mint, it is not a true mint but a tropical relative of knotweed. It loves warmth, part shade and constantly moist soil, is perennial only in about zones 9 to 11, and is easily grown from cuttings.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Rau Ram (Vietnamese Coriander)
Not to be confused with: Rau ram is not a true mint (Mentha), although it is often sold as Vietnamese mint, and not a true cilantro. Its long, narrow leaves often carry a dark blotch, and its flavor is closer to spicy cilantro.
Where to plant
Grow rau ram in part shade in moderately fertile soil that stays moist to wet; it even grows at the edge of a pond or in a self-watering pot. It can be used as a ground cover under trees in warm areas. Dry soil and strong afternoon sun scorch it.
It is a tender perennial, surviving outdoors only where frost is rare, roughly zones 9 to 11, and it rarely flowers outside the tropics.
- Florida, the Gulf South and Hawaii: grows as a perennial in moist, shady spots. Plant in spring, or in fall in South Florida; protect it from frost in the north of the region.
- Texas and California: grow in part shade with steady water; it dies back in frost.
- Mid-South, Mid-Atlantic, Southern Plains, Northeast, Midwest, Northern Plains, Mountain West and the Pacific Northwest: grow it as a summer pot plant set out after the last frost, kept moist, and take a rooted cutting indoors before the first fall frost.
- Desert Southwest: struggles in the dry heat; grow it only in a shaded, well-watered pot.
- Alaska: grow it in a pot on a bright windowsill or in a greenhouse.
How to plant
- Buy a plant from an herb or Asian grocery nursery, or root cuttings from a store-bought bunch in a glass of water; they root within days.
- Plant rooted cuttings 12 inches apart in moist, rich soil in part shade, or in a pot.
- Water well and keep the soil constantly moist.
- Pinch the tips once plants are growing to make them bushy.
Watering and feeding
Never let rau ram dry out. Water often in warm weather; a pot can sit in a saucer of water.
Feed lightly with a balanced liquid fertilizer every few weeks in the growing season.
Harvesting
Pick leafy stem tips often once plants are bushy; regular harvesting keeps tender growth coming. Use the leaves fresh, as the flavor fades with drying and long cooking. Stems keep a few days in a glass of water.
Growing in pots
A pot, at least 8 inches wide, is the easiest way to grow it outside the tropics. Keep it in part shade and constantly moist, and move it indoors to a bright, warm spot before frost.
Using it
Use the leaves raw in Vietnamese salads, spring rolls and pho, with boiled eggs and chicken, and in Malaysian laksa, where it is called laksa leaf.
Propagation and saving seed
Propagate from cuttings, which root in water within days. Seed is rarely produced outside the tropics.
Pests and diseases
It has few pests. Dry soil and frost are the main problems.
Pests to watch for
- Spider mites Fine speckling and webbing on the leaves when plants are dry or kept indoors.
- Aphids Clusters on soft shoot tips.
Diseases to watch for
- Rust Small orange-brown pustules on the leaves; remove affected stems.
Common questions
Is rau ram the same as Vietnamese coriander or Vietnamese mint?
Yes. Rau ram, Vietnamese coriander, Vietnamese mint and laksa leaf are all names for the same plant, Persicaria odorata. It is neither a true mint nor a true cilantro.
Is rau ram a real mint?
No. It is Persicaria odorata, a relative of knotweed and smartweed, not a Mentha. Its flavor is spicy and cilantro-like rather than minty.
How do I grow rau ram from a store-bought bunch?
Strip the lower leaves from a few stems and stand them in water. Roots appear within days; then pot them in moist mix in part shade.
Can rau ram survive winter?
Only where frost is rare, roughly zones 9 to 11. Elsewhere, keep a rooted cutting indoors on a bright windowsill over winter.
Why are my rau ram leaves turning brown and crispy?
Usually dry soil or too much hot sun. Keep the soil constantly moist and give it part shade.
What is rau ram used for?
It is eaten fresh in Vietnamese salads, rolls and soups, and in laksa. It replaces cilantro in hot weather, when cilantro bolts.
Sources we checked: Wikipedia: Persicaria odorata (summarizing North American and UK horticultural sources).
Loading sow calendar…