Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets Coriandrum sativum

Edible: Leaves, Seeds, Herb, Spice, Roots, Vegetable, Flowers

An annual herb up to 70 cm high. It spreads to 50 cm across. It has a fleshy taproot. The stem is erect and finely grooved. The leaves are compound, and divided along their length. The lower leaves have lobes, while the upper leaves are finely divided. The leaves are bright green, and glossy. Flowers are pink to white. They occur in flat arrangements, with stalks coming from the same point. The plant has an unpleasant smell until the fruit ripens. The fruit are pale brown. The fruit have lines along them. Some lines are wavy and some are straight.

A Mediterranean plant. Sometimes it does not set seed in the lowland tropics. It grows up to about 2200 m altitude in the tropics. It prefers light to medium, well-drained soils. It suits an open sunny position. It is drought and frost tender. In Nepal it grows to 3000 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 6-9.

Common Names: Coriander, As otu, Bakhor, Chinese parsley, Cilandre, Cilantro, Coentro-salsa, Culantro regional, Danya, Daun ketumbar, Dhane, Dhania, Dhaniya, Dhanna, Dhonia, Gijnij, Gosangn, Gosu, Hap kom, Hariyo dhaniya, Hu-sui, Ketumbar, Kindzi, Kinzi, Kisnis, Kizbara, Koliana, Kolyandro, Konphir, Kothamalli, Kothambri, Kothimber, Kothomalli, Kothumpalari, Kotimiliha, Kottamalli, Koyendoro, Kustumburi, Kuzbarah, Kuzbarem, Masala, Mexican parsley, Mirmindu, Nannamazee, Nannambin, Nannan, Ngo, Pak chee, Pak chi, Parrimse, Phat-kyi, Pimenta tahan, Ta-ner-hgaw, Uen sai, Yuen sai, Yumurca, Yumurcak

Synonyms: 

Selinum coriandrum E. H. L. Krause;
Coriandrum majus Gouan;
and others