SafePlants

Spirit Weed: An Overview

Spirit Weed is a common name applied to several different plants, most notably Eryngium foetidum. It is also sometimes used to refer to Culantro.

Common Names

• Spirit Weed
• Fitweed
• Stinkweed
• Long Coriander
• Wild Coriander
• Mexican Coriander
• Duck-Tongue Herb
• Sawtooth Herb
• Saw-Leaf Herb

Scientific Name

• Eryngium foetidum
• Other plant: Lachnanthes caroliniana

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Family: Apiaceae (when referring to Eryngium foetidum) or Umbelliferae
• Synonyms for Aegiphila: Aegiphila glandulifera Moldenke, Aegiphila panamensis Moldenke
• General Classification: Dicot

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean (when referring to Eryngium foetidum).
• Naturalized in low country wet zones, such as in Sri Lanka (when referring to Eryngium foetidum).

Considerations for Pets

• Some common names include "stinkweed", which may be an indicator of a strong odor that may be offensive to some animals.

Considerations for Children

• One reference mentions children drinking "spirit weed" every morning, indicating it may be part of traditional practices in some regions.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Eryngium foetidum is described as a flowering plant.
• Fruit Spirit weed stays compact as a sativa dominant plant, rarely exceeding 36&#8221 indoors, but can grow larger outdoors.

Traditional Uses

• Considered a medicinal herb and a tonic for persons with poor eating habits.
• Historically used to calm the spirit and prevent epileptic fits.

Quirky Facts

• In RuneScape, "Spirit Weed" refers to an in-game herb used in Herblore and Farming skills, notably in creating Summoning potions.

Further Information

• Dave's Garden: A community for sharing tips and ideas for gardens, seeds, and plants.
• dict.cc German-English Dictionary: Provides translations for "spiritweed."