Coriander (cilantro)
Coriandrum sativum L.
Botanical family: Apiaceae
An annual herb of the Apiaceae family (Coriandrum sativum), coriander has been grown since antiquity in the Near East and the eastern Mediterranean. Both its fresh leaves and its dried seeds are harvested, with very different fragrances.
Sun to partial shade
Light, drained
Moderate: water in dry spells to delay bolting, without overwatering
Annual
Role in permaculture
An annual umbellifer with white umbels, coriander is a valuable insectary plant for beneficial wildlife: its small, wide-open, easily accessible flowers feed bees, hoverflies and parasitoid micro-wasps (ichneumons); the larvae of the latter two keep aphids and caterpillars in check. Letting a few plants run up to flower, rather than harvesting everything for leaf, turns a row of coriander into a larder for these predators and parasitoids. Short-lived, it bolts quickly to seed in hot weather: it is best sown in succession and readily slipped between rows, as it tolerates partial shade. Traditionally grown alongside carrots and cabbages, it diversifies the scents of the bed and fills the space between slower crops.
Good companions
Poor companions
Allelopathy, reputed or observed: may slow some neighbours
Insects attracted or useful
Seasons & availability
Leaves: May to September.
Available: May, June, July, August, September.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- RHS, « How to Grow Coriander » (rhs.org.uk/herbs/coriander/grow-your-own)
- La Ferme de Sainte Marthe, « Réussir la culture de la coriandre » (fermedesaintemarthe.com/en/blogs/comment-reussir-la-culture-de/reussir-la-culture-de-la-coriandre)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
Taste tolerance very variable; caution with concentrated essential oils.
In the kitchen & the apothecary
Where to find coriander (cilantro) in preparations: recipes and traditional herbal teas.
Family behaviour: Apiaceae
In general, Apiaceae are umbel plants (carrot, parsley, celery, coriander, dill) whose flowers attract precious beneficials: hoverflies, ichneumons, parasitoids. Fairly easy to pair, except fennel, they are useful along edges to feed beneficials.
Understanding families means learning one rule per family rather than every pairing one by one. Learn more →
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Common varieties
Voices of peoples
Paraphrases attributed to their documented sources. Never an invented quote.
Ancient Egypt · Nile Valley, 2nd and 1st millennia BC
The Egyptians had known coriander for at least 3,500 years: its seeds were found in the tomb of Tutankhamun (around 1325 BC). The Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medical treatises of humanity, mentions coriander among its remedies. The Bible too (Exodus 16:31) cites it as a landmark to describe the manna in the wilderness: 'white like coriander seed'.
Papyrus Ebers (Égypte ancienne, vers -1550) ; fouilles archéologiques de la tombe de Toutânkhamon (Howard Carter, 1922) ; Livre de l'Exode 16:31.