📋 Key Characteristics
- Scientific Name: Coriandrum sativum
- Plant Type: Annual
- Variety Type: Artisan open-pollinated stable
- Growth Habit: Upright, slightly bushy
- Mature Size: 12–24″ tall, 6–12″ wide
- Fruit Type: N/A (used for leaves and seeds instead!)
- Fruit/Flower Description: Small white to pale pink umbel flowers; fragrant and loved by pollinators
- Fruit Size and Weight: Seeds are 3–5 mm round, lightweight and aromatic
- Days to Germination: 7–14 days
- Days to Maturity/Harvest: 45–70 days for leaves, 90–120 for seeds
- Hardiness Zones: All USDA zones (grown as annual)
- Ideal Growing Temperature: 50–85°F (10–29°C)—cool and comfy is the name of the game!
- Lowest Survivable Temperature: 20°F (-6°C)—any colder and it’s curtains for coriander!
🌞 Growing Information
- Sunlight Requirements: Full sun to part shade
- Ideal Soil Type: Well-draining, fertile loam with rich organic matter
- Watering Needs: Moderate and consistent—never soggy, never bone-dry
- Spacing: 6–8 inches apart
- Planting Depth: ¼ to ½ inch
- Ideal Planting Time: Early spring or late summer—plant before heat waves roll in!
🌼 Planting & Care Tips
Cilantro’s a cool-season queen who bolts faster than gossip in a small town when the weather heats up! For lush leaf harvests, plant early or give her a little shade in summer. Water regularly and harvest leaves often to delay bolting. Once she blooms, let her go—those flowers are bee magnets and the seeds are future spice magic. If you’re in it for coriander, let her mature and dry on the stem before collecting those savory little globes. Aphids giving you grief? Invite ladybugs over for a snack attack!
🌿 Garden giggle: Why did the cilantro break up with the basil? It just couldn’t commit to a long seasoning!
🥗 Culinary or Ornamental Uses
From tacos to tabbouleh, curries to chutneys, cilantro brings the fresh, citrusy zing that perks up every plate. The leaves are best raw, the stems are flavorful too, and the seeds (aka coriander) have a warm, nutty flavor perfect for roasting, spice blends, and pickling. This plant is a kitchen multitool—a leafy green with seasoning superpowers! 🧄🌮
Flavor Profile: Leaves are bright, lemony, and peppery; seeds (coriander) are warm, earthy, and citrusy with a mild sweetness.
Best Uses: Fresh eating, garnishes, soups, curries, salsas, pickling, spice blends, baking, tea, and medicinal infusions
📌 Companion Plants & Recommendations
Cilantro plays nicely with tomatoes, spinach, dill, anise, and basil (even if they’re on-again, off-again). It deters spider mites and aphids, and attracts beneficial pollinators when flowering. Pair with Eggdrasil Farms worm castings or our compost tea kit to keep it growing strong and flavorful. Your garden will be the talk of the herbhood!
🔖 Keywords & Tags
cilantro, coriander, annual herb, edible leaves, edible seeds, cool-season crop, fast-growing, fresh eating, spice garden, culinary herb, coriander spice, upright growth, part shade, full sun, aromatic, pollinator-friendly, salsa garden, companion plant, herb gardening, warm flavor, citrusy herb, taco topping, leafy green, bolting prevention, loamy soil, spring planting, fall planting
📍 Local Pickup Information
This leafy superstar is only available for local pickup in Jonesboro, GA—we don’t ship, but we do pack it up prettier than a produce aisle bouquet! Come scoop up your herb babies and say hi to our pun-loving garden gang while you’re at it!
