Cilantro Plant Guide: How to Grow Cilantro for Leaves and Coriander Seed
Sow cilantro where it will grow, 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, in cool weather, and sow again every 2 to 4 weeks. Cut leaves from about 6 inches tall; once heat and long days make it flower, let the seed ripen into coriander.
Sources: Illinois Extension, Oregon State University Extension, Penn State Extension, Utah State University Extension and 6 more. See the sources we used. How we source our guides
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To grow a cilantro plant, sow the seed straight into the bed or pot where it will stay, a quarter to half an inch deep, in the cool part of the year: early spring, early autumn, or right through winter where frosts are light. Start cutting leaves once plants reach about 6 inches tall. Cilantro is short-lived and flowers fast once days turn long and hot, so sow a small batch every 2 to 4 weeks instead of one big row. When it does flower, let the seed ripen: that seed is coriander.
| Sun | Full sun in spring and fall; partial sun or afternoon shade in summer |
|---|---|
| Sowing depth | 1/4 to 1/2 inch |
| Spacing | For leaves, unthinned or 2 inches apart; for seed or a mixed harvest, 2 to 10 inches, most often 6 to 10 |
| Germination | 7 to 10 days at 65 to 70 F, up to about 21 days; germinates at 55 to 70 F |
| Water | Regular until plants establish; after that, sparingly to steady by guide; pots never dry out |
| Days to maturity | Leaves 28 to 55 days from sowing, by variety; seed about 3 months, or 120 to 150 days for 'Calypso' |
| Frost tolerance | Takes a light frost; mature plants take light freezing |
| Bolting | Quickly above 80 F; long days push it too |
When to plant cilantro
Cilantro is a cool-season herb, and guides split on how early it can go out. Two sow it once the danger of frost has passed. Another sows from early spring, notes that mature plants handle light freezing, and sows again in early autumn. A farm fact sheet gives a soil range of 45 to 85 F for direct seeding and says the crop can take a light frost. Seedlings can also be started indoors 4 to 6 weeks ahead of transplanting, with as little root disturbance as possible when they go out, though most guides sow in place.
Here are those rules as calendar dates at four weather stations. Each freeze date is the station's 1991 to 2020 normal for a 32 F night, as likely to fall before that date as after it.
| Station | Indoor start, 6 to 4 weeks before | Spring freeze date | Outdoor sowing, frost past | Last fall sowing for leaves (our count) | Fall freeze date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN | Mar 12 to Mar 26 | Apr 23 | From Apr 23 | Aug 24 to Aug 29 | Oct 18 |
| Baltimore (BWI), MD | Feb 27 to Mar 13 | Apr 10 | From Apr 10 | Sep 6 to Sep 11 | Oct 31 |
| Raleigh-Durham, NC | Feb 17 to Mar 3 | Mar 31 | From Mar 31 | Sep 10 to Sep 15 | Nov 4 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | Jan 25 to Feb 8 | Mar 8 | From Mar 8 | Sep 30 to Oct 5 | Nov 24 |
Outdoor sowing = from the spring freeze date, our reading of "after danger of frost"; on that date a freeze is still as likely as not, so a later sowing carries less risk. Indoor start = 6 to 4 weeks before the spring freeze date. Last fall sowing = 55 to 50 days before the fall freeze date, our count back from 50 to 55 days from planting to harvest; a quicker variety such as 'Leisure' (28 to 40 days) can go in later, and since cilantro takes a light frost, leaves often keep coming after that date. The early-spring sowing above would sit before the outdoor column.
Sowing in late fall and winter. Where winters are mild, the cold months are cilantro's main season, not its off season. In warmer areas, plant in fall and harvest through winter into spring, since long, warm days tend to push it into flower. Farther north, a pot indoors is the winter option (see the pots section below). A USDA zone is no stand-in for a frost date, so look up the frost dates for the weather station nearest you.
Which cilantro sowing fits now
Heat and frost decide the move. Work through the questions in order.
Why cilantro bolts, and slow-bolt varieties
Bolting is the plant switching from leaves to flowers: it makes fewer leaves, then sends up a stalk of small lacy blooms that set seed, and the leaves turn bitter. Two things trigger it:
- Heat. Cilantro bolts quickly above 80 F. Hot weather sets it off, and in most locations it is likely to bolt in midsummer.
- Day length. Temperature and day length together influence flowering. A midsummer sowing can flower and make seed within 4 to 6 weeks, while spring and fall sowings stay leafy for weeks or months.
Slowing it down. Keep the soil cool with straw mulch and steady watering, and site the bed where it gets some afternoon shade, or in a cooler corner of the garden, with full sun only in spring and fall. Sow early, and one guide also grows the plants close together.
Slow-bolt varieties. Guides agree on some names and disagree on others:
- 'Calypso': the slowest to bolt of these, 3 weeks slower than 'Santo'; 50 to 55 days to a leaf harvest and 120 to 150 days to seed.
- 'Santo': slow bolting in three guides; one seed company files it as standard cilantro.
- 'Leisure': heat tolerant and slow to bolt, with a harvest in 28 to 40 days, and a pick for leaves; the same seed company again says standard.
- 'Marino': slow to bolt and quick growing in two guides; the same seed company files it as standard cilantro.
- 'Cruiser': sold as slow-bolting.
- 'Slow Bolt': 50 days to a leaf harvest; one list calls it 'Slow Bolting' and picks it for leaves.
A slow-bolt variety buys time, not immunity. In a hot summer every type flowers eventually.
Sowing cilantro in succession
One planting of cilantro gives a short window of leaves, so plan for repeat sowings: a small batch every 2 to 4 weeks. Guides differ on the season. One sows from late spring through fall, another sows small batches all season but skips the peak of summer heat, and a third keeps sowing until late summer or overseeds the bed mid-season.
The same idea works across the garden: plant a slice of the space every two weeks for a steady harvest of leafy greens, beans and other crops, and replant spots that spent crops leave empty. Sow Swiss chard once spring peas finish, for example, or follow early-spring radishes about six weeks later with leafy greens such as arugula and kale.
How deep and far apart to plant cilantro
Sowing depth runs 1/4 to 1/2 inch. For leaves, a thick stand is fine: there is no need to thin, or space plants 2 inches apart. Plants meant for coriander seed want more room: 2 to 4 inches apart in one guide, 8 to 10 in another. Other guides space all plants 6 to 8 inches apart for a mixed harvest. Row spacing runs from at least 3 inches in one guide to 15 to 24 inches in others. Some varieties come as split (monogerm) seed for precise planting.
Germination is slow. Seed takes 7 to 10 days at 65 to 70 F, and up to about 21 days. The temperatures given for germination run from 55 to 70 F.
How much to water cilantro
Water cilantro regularly until it is established. After that, guides differ: one waters sparingly and warns against overwatering, since damp, humid conditions do not suit the plant, while another keeps the plants watered and mulched with straw to hold the soil cool against bolting. In containers, water regularly so the soil never dries out.
Cilantro in pots and indoors
Cilantro does well in a container if you sow it there. The long taproot makes transplanting hard, so sow a pinch of seed directly in the pot rather than moving seedlings. There is even a variety bred for pots, 'Pot Cilantro 99057', and 'Calypso' is sold as good in containers.
Guides part ways on pot size: one says the roots are shallow enough for shallow containers, another says to make sure the container is deep enough. A pot with some depth covers both, and drainage matters either way, since most guides ask for well-drained soil.
Indoors, give the plant enough sun and keep the soil under 75 F, away from heaters and any window that runs hot. That fits the bolting rule above: heat is the trigger to avoid, indoors as well as out. Water often enough that the mix never dries out, and sow a fresh pot every few weeks, as you would outdoors.
Harvesting cilantro leaves, then coriander seed
Leaves. Start cutting when plants are about 6 inches tall, or from about 4 inches in one guide. You can cut single leaves or whole plants, or take about a third of each plant, down at the soil, each time, and keep harvesting until the plant dies. Check daily, since cilantro can bolt quickly. On farms, bunches are cut 1.5 to 2 inches above the bed.
Keeping leaves. Wrap dry leaves loosely in plastic in the refrigerator, good for about a week, or keep the stems standing in water, like a bouquet, under a loose bag. Leaves frozen on a tray keep for up to a year for cooked dishes, and cilantro also dries hung upside down somewhere warm.
Coriander seed. Once plants bolt, the flowers set round seeds. The immature seeds are sweet and can be picked green; mature seed arrives about 3 months after sowing, or 120 to 150 days for 'Calypso'. When the heads turn brown, cut the stalks or the whole plant, drop them in a paper bag, and let them finish drying somewhere cool and dry. Shake the bag to free the seed and store it in a closed container. Stored seed can stay good for 3 to 4 years, whether you sow it or cook with it. Plants left to drop seed may sow next season's crop for you.
The flowers have a garden use too: they draw beneficial insects.
What to plant with cilantro
Plant cilantro near lettuce and other greens, or beside eggplant. Cilantro draws ladybugs, lacewings and other aphid eaters to greens, and predators of Colorado potato beetles to eggplant. Herbs such as cilantro, left to flower near vegetables, attract beneficial insects. See the herbs in the companion planting chart.
Cilantro pests and leaf spot
Aphids are the most common pest, usually under leaves and along stems; a hard spray of water knocks them off. Seedlings that are suddenly eaten off point to cutworms, and skeletonized leaves to armyworms; pick both caterpillars off by hand. Watch for leafhoppers too, which carry a disease that turns the flowers yellow and makes the plant tall, spindly and finally sterile.
Not every caterpillar on cilantro is a pest. The plant is a host for swallowtail butterfly larvae (Papilio machaon).
Of the diseases, bacterial leaf spot turns up most often: water-soaked spots with yellow edges that darken as they grow. Pull infected plants and keep them out of the compost, water at soil level, and next year plant cilantro where no member of its family (parsley, celery, chervil, dill) grew. Cilantro is in the carrot family, so we would also skip a bed where carrots grew last year, though one guide finds rotation only marginally helpful against insects and disease in home gardens.
Cilantro seeds and supplies
Buy seed for the job. For leaves, choose a slow-bolt type such as 'Calypso', 'Santo' or 'Leisure'; for coriander seed, any variety will do. Split monogerm seed helps with thin, even sowing in a pot.
Little else is needed: a pot with drainage holes for an indoor or patio crop, and a pair of snips for clean cuts at harvest.
What you'll need for cilantro
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HOME GROWN Santo Cilantro Seeds
Slow bolting in three guides; one seed company files it as standard.
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Gaea's Blessing Leisure Cilantro Seeds
Heat tolerant and slow to bolt in two guides; one seed company files it as standard.
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RooTrimmer 5 Gallon Nursery Pots with Drainage Holes
Cilantro is sown straight into its pot, so use one with some depth and drainage holes.
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Corona FS 3214D ComfortGEL Micro Snips
Clean cuts of leaves and seed stalks.
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Sources we used
We read these pages in October 2026 and kept the figures as each one gives them; where two disagree, both appear above.
- "Illinois Extension: Herb Gardening, Cilantro"
- "Oregon State University Extension: How to grow cilantro for leaves, or coriander seeds"
- "Oregon State University Extension: Cilantro" (garden sheet)
- "Penn State Extension: Cilantro, a Unique Culinary Herb"
- "Utah State University Extension: Cilantro/Coriander in the Garden"
- "UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Cilantro"
- "Penn State Extension: Herbs Make Good Plant Partners and Companions"
- "University of Maryland Extension: Vegetable Succession and Companion Planting"
- "NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Coriandrum sativum"
- "Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: cilantro fact sheet"
- "Johnny's Selected Seeds: Cilantro (Coriander) Key Growing Information", plus its 'Calypso' listing and cilantro variety list
- "NOAA NCEI: U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020", for the station freeze dates
Related guides
- Growing basil from seed, the warm-season herb for the summer weeks when cilantro bolts
- How to grow arugula, with its own sections on bolting and sowing in succession
- How to grow fennel, with its own sections on bolting and on harvesting the seeds
- How to grow radishes, including why radishes bolt
- How to grow kale, including how much cold it takes in fall and winter
- How to grow carrots; cilantro is in the carrot family
- How to grow chicory, sown in summer for heads in fall and winter
- How to grow Swiss chard, from spring to winter
- Grow bags buying guide, with the container size each crop needs, small herbs included
Frequently asked questions
When should I plant cilantro?
Plant cilantro in cool weather: in spring and again in early autumn, or in fall for a spring harvest in warmer areas. Some guides sow outdoors once frost danger has passed, while another starts in early spring. Where winters are mild, grow it in fall and winter, since long, warm days tend to push it to flower.
How do you plant cilantro seeds?
Plant cilantro seed a quarter to half an inch deep, right where it will grow: direct seeding is recommended, and the taproot makes transplanting hard. For leaves, there is no need to thin, or space plants 2 inches apart; for coriander seed, guides give 2 to 4 inches or 8 to 10.
How do you care for cilantro?
Give cilantro full sun in spring and fall, partial sun in summer, and regular water until it is established. After that, one guide cuts back on water, since damp, humid conditions do not suit the plant. Straw mulch helps keep the soil cool.
Why is my cilantro flowering already?
Heat and long days make cilantro bolt, turning from leaves to flowers. It bolts quickly above 80 F, and in midsummer it typically flowers and sets seed within 4 to 6 weeks. To slow it, sow in cool months, mulch, give it afternoon shade and pick a slow-bolt variety such as 'Calypso'.
How do you harvest cilantro so it keeps growing?
Start cutting once plants stand about 6 inches tall, and take single leaves or about a third of the plant at a time, cut at ground level. Keep harvesting until the plant dies, and check daily, since cilantro can bolt quickly.
Can you grow cilantro indoors?
Yes, if you sow it straight into the pot and keep it cool. Use a pot with some depth, give it enough sun and keep the soil below 75 F, away from heaters and warm windows. Water regularly so the soil never dries out.
How long does cilantro take to grow?
Cilantro leaves are ready about 28 to 55 days after sowing, depending on the variety: 'Leisure' takes 28 to 40 days, 'Slow Bolt' 50 and 'Calypso' 50 to 55. Coriander seed takes longer: about 3 months, or 120 to 150 days for 'Calypso'.
Are cilantro and coriander the same plant?
Yes, cilantro and coriander are one species, Coriandrum sativum. The harvested leaves are called cilantro and the seeds coriander. Some people find the leaves soapy. Recent studies suggest compounds called fatty aldehydes are behind it, and one study linked the soapy taste to OR6A2, a gene that lets people smell a main compound in cilantro.