Cilantro

Growing Conditions

Growing Zones

Thrives in USDA Zones 3 - 10

Companion Planting

When to Plant

• Direct Sow

  2 weeks before last frost; succession sow every 3 weeks

• Harvest

  Harvest leaves from 3 weeks; harvest seeds when they turn tan and start to drop

Organic Growing Tips

• Succession sow every 3 weeks to ensure continuous fresh leaf harvest, as plants bolt quickly.

• Allow some plants to flower and set seed - the flowers attract lacewings and hoverflies to your plot.

• Harvest seeds (coriander) when the plant turns brown and seeds rattle when shaken.

• Sow into beds enriched with compost — cilantro grown in biologically active soil bolts later, tastes better, and benefits the soil biology with its fine root network as it decomposes between successions.

Common Pests

• Aphids
• Whitefly
• Bacterial Leaf Spot

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Family

Carrot family (Apiaceae)

Genus

Coriandrum

Species

Coriandrum sativum

Natural History

Coriandrum sativum is among the oldest documented cultivated spice plants. Seeds identified as coriander have been recovered from Egyptian tombs dating to around 1000 BCE, and the plant is mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus of approximately 1550 BCE. It likely originated in the eastern Mediterranean or western Asia and spread early via trade routes into South Asia and China, where it is recorded in Han dynasty texts. The word coriander entered English through Latin coriandrum and before that Greek koriandron, with ancient sources noting the leaves' distinctive smell - some comparing it to bedbugs, a reference that may relate to the word's likely Greek derivation. The modern perception of cilantro's aroma as either fresh and citrusy or soapy and unpleasant is now understood to correlate with variation near the OR6A2 olfactory receptor gene, identified in genetic research published around 2012. Spanish colonization brought coriander to the Americas in the 16th century, where it merged into existing food cultures so thoroughly that cilantro leaf became synonymous with Mexican and Latin American cuisine within a few generations.

Traditional Use

Coriander has documentary evidence spanning more than 3,500 years and a culinary range that crosses more cultures than almost any other spice plant - from Egyptian tombs to Roman legions, Mughal spice markets, and Mexican street food stalls.

• Ancient Egyptian and Classical Antiquity - Seeds

  Coriander seeds were placed in Egyptian tombs, listed in the Ebers Papyrus, and described by Dioscorides in his De Materia Medica as useful in cooling preparations. Roman cookbooks - particularly Apicius - incorporated coriander seed widely, and it was among the spices Roman soldiers carried to season food and preserve wine on campaign.

• South Asian Spice Tradition - Seeds and leaves

  Coriander appears in ancient Ayurvedic texts as both a cooking spice and a cooling digestive. In Indian cuisine, ground coriander seed became one of the foundational spices of dal, curry pastes, and spice blends. The fresh leaf, called dhania, functions separately as a garnish herb across South and Southeast Asian cooking - botanically the same plant used in entirely different ways.

• Mughal Court Cuisine - Seeds

  Ground and whole coriander seeds formed part of the complex spice blends documented in Mughal court cooking of the 16th and 17th centuries. The Ain-i-Akbari, the administrative record of Akbar's court compiled in the 1590s, documented spice use in imperial kitchens, placing coriander among the regular culinary staples alongside cumin and turmeric.

• Mexican and Latin American Cuisines - Leaves

  Spanish colonization introduced both coriander seed and cilantro leaf to the Americas in the 16th century, where the fresh leaf was absorbed into Mesoamerican food culture with remarkable speed. By the 18th century, cilantro was thoroughly integrated into Mexican salsas, soups, and market cooking. In modern Mexico, per-capita cilantro consumption is among the highest in the world for any herb.

Cilantro's divergent taste perception - fresh and citrusy to most people, soapy to others - reflects genetic variation near the OR6A2 olfactory receptor gene and is not an allergy or sensitivity.

This information is provided for historical and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making decisions related to your health.

Morphology (Plant Structure & Identification)

• Root System

  Slender taproot that dislikes disturbance. Direct-sown plants usually grow more steadily and bolt less abruptly than transplanted ones.

• Stem

  Soft branching stems form a leafy rosette first, then elongate into airy flowering stems as plants bolt.

• Leaves

  Lower leaves are broad, lobed, and cilantro-like; upper leaves become finer and more feathery before flowering. Leaves have a distinctive fresh citrusy aroma to some people.

• Flowers

  Small white to pale pink flowers in flat umbels attract hoverflies, parasitic wasps, and other beneficial insects.

• Fruit

  Round tan seeds form after flowering and are harvested as coriander. Seeds split into two halves when crushed.

Known Varieties

Common cultivars worth knowing

• Santo

  Widely grown cilantro selected for leaf production and slower bolting.

  Best for: fresh leaves

• Calypso

  Slow-bolting variety with dense regrowth after cutting.

  Best for: cut-and-come-again

• Leisure

  Reliable garden cilantro with good leaf yields.

  Best for: successions

• Delfino

  Fine fern-like leaves with cilantro flavor and ornamental texture.

  Best for: containers, garnishes

• Moroccan Coriander

  Type often grown for seed production with strong coriander aroma.

  Best for: seed harvest