What to Plant With Cilantro: Cilantro Companion Plants and Timing

Cilantro is the leafy stage of the coriander plant, and it is one of the easiest herbs to sow and one of the hardest to keep leafy. Its companion story is more solid than most: it shows up in Penn State Extension's research-based table of herb partners, mainly because its flowers feed beneficial insects. This guide covers what to plant with cilantro, how to use it as an insect-friendly companion, when to sow it so it does not bolt, spacing and harvest.

Good companion plants for cilantro

Lettuce and other greens

Penn State Extension recommends planting cilantro, dill or fennel near lettuce and other greens to attract aphid-eating insects such as lacewings, lady beetles, parasitic wasps, spiders and hover flies. Cilantro and lettuce are also a natural fit in timing: UW–Madison Extension says to sow cilantro in early spring at the same time lettuce is planted. Let a few cilantro plants flower at the end of the lettuce row to get the insect benefit. See what to plant with lettuce.

Eggplant

Penn State's table lists cilantro and dill with eggplant to help control Colorado potato beetles by increasing their predators. The timing takes some planning, because eggplant goes out after the last frost, when a spring sowing of cilantro may be close to flowering. That is fine: the flowers are what feed beneficial insects. Sow a patch near where the eggplant will go a few weeks before transplanting. See what to plant with eggplant.

Across the vegetable garden

The same Penn State table lists cilantro among herbs (with dill, fennel, oregano, thyme and others) that attract parasitic wasps, which help control caterpillar pests such as tomato hornworm, tomato fruitworm and diamondback moth. Virginia Extension also notes that pollen-rich herbs like dill and cilantro can attract lady beetles. A few plants allowed to bloom near tomatoes or cabbage-family crops are a simple way to do this. Our companion planting for pest control guide covers which insect-friendly plantings have research behind them.

What not to plant with cilantro

None of our extension sources lists a plant as incompatible with cilantro. A few practical cautions still help:

• Do not bury it under big summer crops early on. Young cilantro needs sun in spring. Later in the season, light afternoon shade helps (see below), but deep shade slows it down.
• Expect self-sown seedlings. UW–Madison Extension notes that cilantro reseeds readily if plants go to seed, so let it flower at a bed edge where volunteers will not crowd other crops.
• It is a carrot-family plant. Cilantro is related to carrots, parsley, dill and fennel. Our sources do not list it as incompatible with any of them, so our checker does not either.

When to plant cilantro

• Spring: UW–Madison Extension says to sow in early spring, around when lettuce is planted. Oregon State Extension gives a soil temperature of about 55 to 68°F for germination, and notes mature plants tolerate light freezing, though UW–Madison says cilantro will not survive a hard freeze.
• Every 2 to 3 weeks: University of Maryland and UW–Madison Extension suggest sowing in succession every 2 to 3 weeks for a steady supply of leaves; Penn State says every two to four weeks. See succession planting.
• Skip the hottest weeks: UW–Madison does not recommend summer sowings for leaves, because plants bolt before producing much. Oregon State explains that both heat and long days push cilantro to flower.
• Fall: for a fall leaf crop, UW–Madison suggests sowing in mid-August (in Wisconsin). In warmer areas, Utah State Extension suggests planting in fall and harvesting in spring.

Our planting calendar shows your frost date so you can count from it.

Sowing and spacing

• Sow directly. Cilantro has a long taproot and does not transplant well (UW–Madison). If you start it indoors, Utah State suggests 4 to 6 weeks ahead and disturbing the roots as little as possible.
• Depth: about ¼ to ½ inch.
• Spacing: recommendations vary. UW–Madison thins to 3 to 6 inches for leaves (12 inches for a seed crop); Oregon State thins to about 8 inches in rows 18 to 24 inches apart; Maryland gives 7 to 10 inches.
• Germination: slow and uneven; Utah State says about 21 days, so keep the seedbed moist.
• Soil and sun: well-drained soil in full sun; Penn State gives a soil pH around 6.5.

How to slow bolting

Bolting (flowering and setting seed) is what cilantro does as days get long and hot, and the leaves turn sparse, lacy and more bitter. To stretch the leafy stage:

• Give it afternoon shade once the weather warms, for example beside taller crops that shade it in the afternoon (Maryland and Penn State Extension).
• Keep it watered and mulched to keep the soil cool; Penn State suggests straw.
• Grow slow-bolting varieties. Penn State names 'Slow Bolt', 'Leisure', 'Santo' and 'Calypso', which it calls the slowest to bolt of the group.
• Keep sowing. Small, frequent sowings beat one big one.
• Let some bolt anyway. The flowers feed beneficial insects, and the seeds are coriander. See flowers that attract beneficial insects for a full border.

Harvest: leaves and coriander seed

Maryland Extension suggests harvesting when plants are about 6 inches tall, or picking leaves sparingly when plants are 4 to 6 inches tall, and notes that pinching off flower stems extends the leaf harvest. UW–Madison gives 45 to 80 days for leaves and at least 100 days for a seed crop. For coriander, let plants flower and harvest the seeds as they turn light brown, usually 2 to 3 weeks after flowering, then dry the stems over a cloth or in a paper bag to catch falling seed.

A simple salad bed with cilantro

1. Lettuce down the middle.

   Sown in early spring, with a new sowing every couple of weeks.

2. Cilantro at both ends.

   Sown at the same time; let the first sowing flower to feed aphid predators.

3. Radishes along the edge.

   A listed lettuce companion that is harvested in weeks.

4. Late summer: start again.

   Sow fall lettuce and cilantro as the weather cools.

Keep onions and garlic in another bed, since Virginia Extension lists them as incompatible with lettuce. Our raised bed layouts show how to map a bed by the square foot.

Frequently asked questions

What grows well with cilantro?

Penn State Extension lists cilantro as a partner for lettuce and other greens, where it attracts aphid-eating insects, and for eggplant, where it increases predators of the Colorado potato beetle. Its flowers also draw parasitic wasps that help control caterpillar pests.

What should you not plant with cilantro?

None of our extension sources lists a plant as incompatible with cilantro. Give it spring sun, expect it to reseed if it flowers, and place it where self-sown seedlings will not crowd other crops.

Why does my cilantro keep bolting?

Heat and long days make cilantro flower quickly. Sow it in early spring and again in late summer or fall, give it afternoon shade and steady water, choose a slow-bolting variety, and sow small batches every 2 to 3 weeks.

Can I transplant cilantro?

It is better to sow it directly. Cilantro has a long taproot and does not transplant well. If you start it indoors, disturb the roots as little as possible.

Are cilantro and coriander the same plant?

Yes. Cilantro usually means the fresh leaves and coriander the dried seeds of the same plant, Coriandrum sativum. Let plants flower and the seeds turn light brown to harvest coriander.