Plant of the Day: Cilantro
Photo of Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum)

Photo by Mark Kane


Seeds or Leaves, in the Pot


The green leaves of cilantro, an annual herb, flavor much of the cooking of the Mediterranean countries. Adults who are newcomers to the flavor divide into instant fans or instant detractors who wonder why the fans like the thing. I’m a big fan, after years of savoring tajines and couscous in Morocco. These days, I mince parsley and coriander together (with fresh ginger) to flavor soups of autumn crops such as carrots and squashes. In Morocco cooks remove the leaves from the stems. I do too, when I feel patient. This avoids stringy bits of stem in every spoonful of soup.


Cilantro is a fast herb. Some varieties grow from seeds to 12-inch plants in only five to six weeks. You can provide yourself with fresh cuttings from early spring to mid-summer and again from late summer to late Autumn by sowing a dozen seeds every four weeks. The plant is small, and grows in an open cluster of upright lightly branching stems. You cut the stems you need or the whole plant. Left unharvested, a plant quickly bolts and ages and is soon unfit for use as a fresh herb. The dried seeds are ground to make a spice that is usually called coriander. They have their own flavor, a more pungent version of the fresh leaves.


By Mark Kane - the Groundskeeper, YourGardenShow.com

Copyright © 2012 YourGardenShow.com

Want to read more about this plant and other varieties? Click here for the Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) Plant Page!

Plant Photo Tagging - How it Works

Video by Tom Finerty, founder YourGardenShow.com

Plant Photo Tagging allows you to turn any garden photo into a rich tapestry of what you have planted. It’s fun, informative, and helpful to others visiting your garden. As you photo tag, you can easily add plant names from our database and/or make notes about anything you’d like. To get started, sign-in and go to your Garden.


Click on any image in your garden's slideshow Carousel to get to full-view mode. Click on the “Tag” icon just below your photo and you are ready to tag! Simply click and drag your mouse over a plant or area you’d like to highlight or tag. A pop-up box will appear and ask for either a plant name or a note - add one or both, then click “tag” and you’ve just tagged your garden!


Write and tell us your suggestion for a "How it Works" video:
how-it-works@yourgardenshow.com


For more info contact: help@yourgardenshow.com

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Plant of the Day archive

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