Where Do You Cut Cilantro When it Grows Flowers?

Cilantro turns bitter when it flowers.

Spicy cilantro gives salads, soups and meats a fresh, bold flavor when used freshly cut. This herb grows readily from seed in USDA hardiness zones 6 to 10 and can be cut twice, once before and once after flowers develop.

Considerations

Gardeners should cut cilantro before it flowers when the leaves get to 6 inches. Once flowers develop, the cilantro leaves can acquire a bitter taste and gardeners should allow the flowers to open, then dry so they can harvest coriander seeds. Coriander just refers to the seed from cilantro.

Guidelines

When flowers develop, let them open and wait until the seed pods turn brown, then cut the plant off at the base. Put the plant in a paper bag to dry, then remove the seed pods for homegrown coriander.

Time Frame

Cilantro grows from late spring to early summer, and the plants tend to flower in mid summer. To get the most from your plant, cut the foliage at 6 inches, then let it grow and flower, and cut the second time for coriander.

References

• Utah State University Extension: Cilantro/Coriander in the Garden
• Peterson's Country Gardens: Cilantro or Coriander