Plant profile
Coriander
Coriandrum sativum
Also known as Cilantro.
Coriander is a quick herb that prefers mild conditions and steady moisture. Leaves, flowers and dry seed can all be useful.
- Grows well in
- Tropical, Subtropical, Temperate, Cool / mountains, Arid / inland, Mediterranean
- Lifecycle
- Cool-season annual herb
- Light
- Full sun, Part shade
- Mature size
- Usually about 30–60 cm tall when flowering and roughly 20–30 cm wide.
- Spacing
- About 20–30 cm apart for full plants; closer spacing works if you mainly want young leaves.
- Growth habit
- Soft annual herb that starts as a leafy rosette before sending up taller branched flowering stems.
- Native range
- Eastern Mediterranean to western Pakistan
- Natural habitat
- Subtropical open ground, grassland and disturbed habitats.
When to plant
Tropical
April–August
Subtropical
March–September
Temperate
March–June, August–November
Cool / mountain
April–June, September–November
Arid inland
March–September
Mediterranean
March–June, August–November
Planting
Direct sow where plants will grow. Sow small batches regularly during suitable weather for a steady leaf supply.
Position and light
Full sun in cool weather. Part shade helps in warmer conditions.
Soil
Fertile, well-drained soil with organic matter. Avoid very dry conditions during leaf growth.
Watering
Keep the root zone evenly moist while plants are producing leaves. Heat and dry soil speed flowering.
Feeding
In decent soil coriander needs little extra feeding. A light liquid feed can help repeated leaf harvests in containers.
Pruning
Harvest stems and leaves regularly. Let some plants flower if you want coriander seed or flowers for insects.
Harvest
Pick leaves once plants are established, taking outer leaves first so the centre keeps producing. Harvest dry brown seed heads when seed is mature, cutting whole stems into a paper bag so ripe seed is not lost, then finish drying before storage.
Propagation
Grow from seed. Succession sowing every few weeks is useful when conditions suit the crop.
Common problems
Heat, dry soil and root disturbance can cause early flowering. Aphids and caterpillars sometimes damage growth.
Worth knowing
Coriander sold as a fresh herb and the ground spice made from coriander seed come from the same plant, though seed-grown cultivars are usually selected for slower bolting rather than leaf yield. In Australian gardens it self-sows readily once a few plants are allowed to flower, so volunteer seedlings often reappear the following cool season without replanting. The roots have a stronger flavour than the leaves and are used whole in some Southeast Asian cooking.
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How it grows around Australia
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