Coriander

Sun

Full sun in cool weather; light afternoon shade in hot climates.

Water

Keep the soil evenly moist while seeds germinate and plants establish. Water established plants when the soil surface begins to dry, without leaving the roots waterlogged.

Soil

Well-drained soil with moderate fertility; improve very sandy or heavy soil with compost.

Height

1-2.5 ft (0.3-0.75 m), tallest when flowering

Spread

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Flowers

Small white to pale pink flowers in flat-topped clusters, usually in late spring and summer; timing varies with sowing date and climate.

Foliage

Aromatic green leaves: broad and lobed near the base, becoming finely divided on flowering stems.

Growth

Fast; leaves are often ready to pick about 4-6 weeks after sowing.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Wildlife
• Low allergen
• Fragrant
• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.7 ft (0.53 m)

   full size

Full size in one season.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Fast

• Sow directly where it will grow; its taproot dislikes disturbance.
• Thin plants to 6-8 in (15-20 cm) apart, allowing more room for plants grown for seed.
• Water regularly during dry spells, especially in containers, to reduce stress and premature flowering.
• Mix compost into the soil before sowing; feed container plants lightly if growth becomes pale.
• Apply a thin mulch around established plants to conserve moisture, keeping it away from the stems.

Pruning. Pick outer leaves regularly once plants are established, leaving the central growing point intact. Remove early flower stalks if leaves are the priority, but this will not prevent eventual bolting; leave selected plants to flower for seed.

Pick outer leaves and tender stems about 4–6 weeks after sowing, once plants are 10–15 cm (4–6 in) tall, taking no more than a third at once; leaves are best before flowering. For coriander seed, let plants flower, then cut the seed heads when the seeds turn tan to light brown, usually 3–4 months after sowing, before they fall.

Early spring

Direct-sow once the soil is workable; protect seedlings from severe frost.

Spring

Thin seedlings and sow small batches every 2-3 weeks for a continuing leaf harvest.

Late spring

Harvest outer leaves regularly and keep the soil moist as temperatures rise.

Summer

Let selected plants flower. Collect seed heads when the seeds turn brown, then dry them in paper bags.

Late summer

Resume sowing as temperatures cool for an autumn leaf crop.

Autumn

In mild, largely frost-free climates, sow for winter harvests; elsewhere remove spent plants and save fully dried seed.

• Sow short rows beside lettuce and radishes in a potager for repeated harvests of cool-season crops.
• Grow in deep containers near the kitchen, with afternoon shade where summers are hot.
• Let small groups flower among vegetables to provide nectar for hoverflies and small parasitic wasps.
• Use its fine flowering foliage and pale flower clusters as a temporary, airy layer in herb and cottage borders.

Garden styles it suits: Potager (kitchen garden), Herb parterre, Edible landscape, Cottage garden, Pollinator garden and Small-space.

Plant it with: Lettuce, Radish, Spinach, Peas, Dill and Sweet alyssum.

Wildlife: Flowers supply nectar and pollen to bees, hoverflies and small parasitic wasps. Allowing a few plants to bloom can support insects that help control vegetable pests.

• Premature bolting: heat, long days and dry roots bring on flowering. Sow in cooler seasons, water consistently and choose slow-bolting varieties for leaves.
• Aphids: wash colonies off with water and check tender shoot tips regularly; retain some flowers to support their natural predators.
• Slugs and snails: protect young seedlings with barriers or wildlife-conscious slug controls and remove nearby hiding places.
• Damping off and root rot: avoid crowded, persistently wet seedlings; use well-drained soil and water without saturating it.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. Leaves, roots and seeds are used as food; large amounts may cause digestive upset, and some people have allergic reactions. Concentrated essential oil is not equivalent to the culinary plant and should not be given to pets.

• Flat-leaf parsley (Petroselinum crispum)

  Parsley generally has more sharply pointed, toothed leaf lobes and a different scent; coriander's lower leaves have rounder lobes, while its upper flowering leaves become finely divided.

• Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)

  Chervil has more finely divided, fern-like leaves and a mild anise scent, unlike coriander's broader lower leaves and distinctive pungent aroma.

The species name sativum is Latin for cultivated or sown.

Propagation. Propagate from seed, preferably sown directly about 0.25-0.5 in (0.6-1.3 cm) deep. Germination commonly takes 1-3 weeks. It may self-seed where mature seeds fall onto suitable soil.

Accepted botanical name

Coriandrum sativum

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Canada, Hawaii, the lower 48 states and Puerto Rico.

Native range

Afghanistan, Iran, Lebanon-Syria, North Caucasus, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sinai, Transcaucasus and Turkey.

Measured

Soil pH 7 to 7.5. Average height 56 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.