Cilantro has been grown for thousands of years, valued for both its fresh green leaves and its dried seed, known as coriander. Native to parts of the Mediterranean, North Africa, and western Asia, it has traveled through kitchens around the world, bringing bright flavor to salsas, curries, soups, chutneys, salads, pickles, and spice blends.
In the garden, cilantro is a cool-season annual with a quick rhythm. It grows leafy and tender in mild weather, then sends up delicate white flower umbels as days lengthen and heat arrives. The leaves, flowers, green seed, and mature coriander seed are all useful, making cilantro one of the most generous herbs for both the kitchen and the pollinator garden.
Growing Guide
Timing
Direct sow cilantro in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. It grows best in cool to mild weather and often bolts quickly once heat and long days arrive.
For a steady leaf harvest, sow small batches every two to three weeks during spring and again in late summer for fall harvests. In mild climates, cilantro can also be fall sown and may overwinter where cold is not severe.
Sowing & Starting
Sow seeds about ¼–½ inch deep in prepared garden soil. Keep the seedbed evenly moist until germination, which usually takes one to two weeks.
Cilantro develops a taproot and is best direct sown rather than transplanted. Thin seedlings to about 4–6 inches apart for leaf harvest, or give plants more space if growing them through flowering and seed production. Cilantro can also be grown in containers, especially in cool weather.
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