Apiaceae
Cilantro
Coriandrum sativum
Lacy white flower heads that thrive from Zone 1a to 13b
Didier Descouens via Wikimedia Commons (cc by_sa_4)
About this plant
Coriandrum sativum belongs to the Apiaceae family, the same clan that gives us Queen Anne's lace and fennel, both recognizable by their umbrella-shaped flower clusters. This perennial grows outdoors across an extraordinary range, rated for every USDA hardiness zone from 1a all the way to 13b, which means it can find a home in nearly any American garden, from the frost-locked edges of Alaska to the subtropical warmth of South Florida.
As a member of the genus Coriandrum, it carries the architectural elegance typical of the Apiaceae: delicate, finely cut foliage at the base and airy, lacy flower heads that rise above it. Classified as a beginner-level plant, it asks for very little, medium water and roughly ten minutes of attention per week. That combination of wide adaptability and low maintenance makes it one of the more forgiving outdoor perennials a first-time gardener can choose.
The gallery
Historical plates & modern photos
Bloom
Sanjay Acharya via Wikimedia Commons (cc by_sa_4)
Gallery
Herusutimbul via Wikimedia Commons (cc by_sa_4)
Gallery
Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
How to grow it
Five steps, start to bloom.
Written for beginners. If you've never grown anything before, this is all you need to keep this plant alive and happy.
Pick a spot
Find a spot with enough light for its needs. Plant it outdoors, ideally sheltered from the harshest afternoon wind.
Plant it
Any good all-purpose potting mix or well-drained garden soil will do. Give each plant enough room for its mature spread. Crowding causes more problems than undersizing the bed. Water it in gently once it's settled.
Water it
Water when the top inch of soil feels dry, roughly once a week in summer. Soak the soil, then let it breathe before the next round.
Feed & tend
This one is very forgiving. A balanced all-purpose fertiliser at the start of the growing season is plenty, and you can skip a month without harm. Plan on 10 minutes a week of hands-on care: watering, a quick trim, checking for pests.
Enjoy it
Watch for new growth in spring and summer. If the leaves look tired, trim the oldest ones back to encourage fresh foliage.
Year at a glance
What to do, month by month.
Approximate for a temperate North American zone. Shift earlier the further south you garden, later the further north.
Jan
January: Rest
Dormant
Feb
February: Rest
Dormant
Mar
March: Wake up
New growth
Apr
April: Tend
Routine care
May
May: Tend
Routine care
Jun
June: Tend
Routine care
Jul
July: Tend
Routine care
Aug
August: Tend
Routine care
Sep
September: Tend
Routine care
Oct
October: Tend
Routine care
Nov
November: Wind down
Prep for dormancy
Dec
December: Rest
Dormant
Pet & people safety
Non-toxic to common pets.
Verified against a primary poison-control source. Still, no plant is a snack. Grazing in quantity can upset the stomach of any animal, and the hotline below is there if something goes wrong.
Dogs
Non-toxic
Non-toxic per ASPCA.
Source: ASPCA
Record covers Cilantro toxicity for Dogs.
Cats
Non-toxic
Non-toxic per ASPCA.
Source: ASPCA
Record covers Cilantro toxicity for Cats.
Bloomwise is not a substitute for veterinary or medical advice. Every line above comes from a hand-verified reference.
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Frequently asked
Common questions.
- What USDA zones does Cilantro grow in?
- Cilantro is hardy in USDA zones 1a to 13b. If your winter lows fall outside that range, grow it in a container you can bring indoors, or treat it as an annual.
- How often should I water Cilantro?
- Water about once a week in summer, adjusting for rainfall. Soak the soil, then let it breathe before watering again.
- How much sunlight does Cilantro need?
- Cilantro prefers four to six hours of sun, ideally morning light.
- Is Cilantro safe for pets?
- Yes. Cilantro is listed as non-toxic to dogs and cats by verified poison-control sources. No plant is a snack, though, and grazing in quantity can still upset any animal's stomach.
- Is Cilantro good for beginners?
- Yes, this is a forgiving plant that tolerates inconsistent watering and the occasional missed feeding. A good choice for a first garden.
Sources
Plant facts on this page come from a blend of public-domain and open-licensed datasets: Biodiversity Heritage Library (historical botanical illustrations, public domain), USDA PLANTS (taxonomy, public domain), GBIF (occurrence and taxonomy, CC-BY 4.0), OpenFarm (crop guides, CC-BY-SA 3.0), and Open-Meteo (climate and hardiness lookup, CC-BY 4.0). Toxicity records come from the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and the Pet Poison Helpline; every row is hand-verified against a primary reference.