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Cilantro
Habit (mature) · Alvesgaspar / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Limited coverage
Cilantro
Coriandrum sativum
A warm-weather annual of the carrot family grown in herb gardens for two distinct crops from one plant: the lacy, strong-scented foliage harvested young as cilantro, and the aromatic dried seed harvested as coriander. The plant bolts and flowers quickly in hot weather, throwing up showy white-to-pale-lavender umbels and a marked leaf dimorphism — broad scalloped lower leaves give way to fine, thread-like upper foliage on the flowering stems. Fast and easy from a direct sowing, it is best succession-planted for a steady leaf harvest before heat triggers bolting.
Review: Source-backed
Climate fit: moderate (56/100)
Edible
Container
Pollinator
Light
Full sun / Part shade
Water
Moderate water
Mature size
18-24" tall · 6" apart
Hardy in zones
2a-11b
brutally cold to nearly frost-free winters
Summer heat range
Cool-Mild
cool to mild summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
No
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A documented larval host for the Black swallowtail — caterpillars feed on its foliage before becoming the next generation.
Wildlife relationships
Cold hardiness
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Well-suited
2050
Zone 7b
Plotwright
Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)
Well-suited
In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.
Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/cilantro
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 source-backed.
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Botanical research database
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
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Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Backs 1 field
Image
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
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