A quick answer from the garden notebook
Does Cilantro Need Full Sun or Shade?
By David Choi · Updated · How we source and review advice
Short answer
Cilantro grows best in full sun, which means six or more hours of direct sun a day. It will put up with very light shade. In hot weather, a little afternoon shade can help, because heat makes cilantro flower and stop making leaves.
What full sun means for cilantro
North Carolina State Extension lists cilantro for full sun, six or more hours of direct sun a day, and for partial shade, two to six hours of direct sun. Full sun gives you the biggest, fastest plants. University of Wisconsin Extension says cilantro grows best in full sun but will tolerate very light shade.
When shade helps
Cilantro is a cool-weather herb. Long, hot days make it bolt. That means it sends up a flower stalk and the leaves turn thin and bitter. If your summers are hot, a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade keeps the plant cooler. University of Florida Extension says cilantro does best in full sun to part shade, and that in warm places it grows best in fall and winter.
Signs your cilantro wants more light
- Stems stretch long and floppy, with wide gaps between the leaves.
- Leaves stay small and pale.
- The plant leans hard toward the window or the brightest side of the garden.
Growing cilantro in a pot? Move it. Give it full sun in spring and fall, then a shadier spot once the days turn hot.
Sources
- Coriandrum sativum (North Carolina State University Extension)
- Cilantro / Coriander, Coriandrum sativum (University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension)
- Cilantro (University of Florida IFAS Extension)
The full growing guide
Cilantro
A cool-weather herb with fresh leaves called cilantro and dried seeds called coriander.
- Harvest
- 45 to 80 days
- Effort
- Season
- Cool
More cilantro questions
- How Far Apart to Plant Cilantro
Thin cilantro to 3 to 6 inches apart in rows about a foot apart. Give plants grown for seed 12 inches.
- How Long Does Cilantro Take to Grow?
Cilantro leaves are ready in 45 to 80 days from sowing, and you can start picking once plants are 6 inches tall.
- How Often to Water Cilantro
Keep cilantro evenly moist. In a garden bed, one deep watering a week is a good start. Pots need checking more often.
- What Temperature Can Cilantro Tolerate?
Cilantro is a cool-season herb. It grows best in mild weather, dies in a hard freeze, and bolts in heat.
- When to Plant Cilantro
Sow cilantro in early spring and again in late summer. In hot places, grow it in fall and winter.
Your next useful step
- How to Start a Garden
A small, realistic plan for growing food in a yard, raised bed, patio, or balcony.
- Planting Calendar
How to read planting and harvest windows around your local frost dates before using a personalized calendar.