Cilantro Plant

Cilantro is a herbaceous plant native to southern parts of Europe, south west Asia and North Africa. It belongs to the apiaceae family which is the same as parsley family. Basically, the aromatic leaves of these plants are referred to as cilantro which has a distinctive flavor of its own and is popularly used in various Mexican and Asian dishes. Seeds of cilantro plants are also known as coriander which is also used for seasoning foods. The taste of these seeds are quite different from that of the leaves.

Cilantro Plant Information

Cilantro is an annual herb that grows to a height of 45 - 60 centimeters. The plant has a soft texture and is hairless. Cilantro leaves are found in a large variety of shapes. The base of the leaf is broad while the outer edges are slender like a feather. Its flowers are small in size, irregular in shape and are found in either white or light pink color. The diameter of its fruit usually varies in between 3 - 5 millimeters. The seeds are hard, round in shape and are encased in a husk. Cilantro plants grows very quickly from its seeds but does not give a good response to transplantation. The ideal time to grow these plants is fall and spring, as they prefer cooler temperatures.

How to Take Care of Cilantro?

Cilantro can grow on any type of soil provided it is fertile and well-drained. Mix equal quantities of potting soil and sand and add 20-20-20 fertilizer to it for the purpose of soil preparation before the seeds are planted. Then sow the seeds half inch deep into the soil and keep a gap of 3 inches in between two seeds. As the plant starts emerging from the seeds, you have to take the following steps for cilantro plant care:

Watering
When the plants are in seedling stage, they need water on every alternative day. Once its roots are properly established, watering them once in a week or two will be enough. If you live in an area where the weather condition is hot and dry, then you may have to water them more frequently. Check out the dryness of the soil by dipping your finger into the soil. If you find the soil is dry to touch, then it's time to water the plant.

Mulching
A good mulching helps these plants in many ways. First of all, this will supply essential nutrients to the soil and retain the soil moisture. It will also protect the delicate roots of the plants from high temperature of the sun. Lastly, it will prevent growth of weeds.

Sun Exposure
Cilantro needs a good amount of sunlight for its growth. It should receive at least 4 hours of direct sunlight every day. Select a location in the garden for planting cilantro where it can receive the morning sun and gets shade in the afternoon. If you have planted them indoors, move the containers outdoors for a few hours so that it can get adequate amount of sunlight.

Harvesting
The suitable time for harvesting cilantro is when the plant reaches the height of about 6 inches. If you want only the leaves from the plants, then you can cut the entire plants. However, if you want to get its seeds too, then cut the matured leaves on the outer part of the plant and let the small leaves near the stalk grow. It can be done twice or thrice before the plants begin to seed. When the seeds are mature and have turned brown (which usually takes around four months), cut the plants and hang them upside down to collect the seeds.

Those who want to use fresh cilantro leaves for cooking purpose prefer to grow them indoors. Thus it can be grown round the year and not just in any particular season. In that case, you have to ensure that the indoor cilantro plant gets adequate amount of sun exposure every day otherwise its growth rate will slow down.