A quick answer from the garden notebook
What Temperature Can Cilantro Tolerate?
By David Choi · Updated · How we source and review advice
Short answer
Cilantro is a cool-season herb. It grows best in mild weather, in months that average roughly 55°F to 75°F. It will not survive a hard freeze. Hot weather and long days make it bolt, which means it flowers and stops making good leaves.
Cold
University of Wisconsin Extension says cilantro will not survive a hard freeze. Sow in spring once hard freezes are over. University of Minnesota Extension suggests waiting until the soil stays at or above 50°F before setting herb seedlings out.
Heat
Heat is the bigger problem. Cilantro bolts easily in hot climates, as North Carolina State Extension puts it. Long, warm days push the plant to flower within weeks. University of Florida Extension says that in Florida, fall and winter are the best growing seasons for this reason.
The sweet spot
The University of California Master Gardener Program times cool-season crops to months that average 55°F to 75°F. For most gardens that means spring and fall. In hot-summer areas, give cilantro afternoon shade and sow a fresh batch every two to three weeks.
Save your location on this site and the cilantro guide shows a sowing window built from your own local frost and temperature records.
Sources
- Cilantro / Coriander, Coriandrum sativum (University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension)
- Growing herbs in home gardens (University of Minnesota Extension)
- Coriandrum sativum (North Carolina State University Extension)
- Cilantro (University of Florida IFAS Extension)
- Time of planting (University of California Master Gardener Program)
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
- Does Cilantro Need Full Sun or Shade?
Cilantro grows best in full sun, but light afternoon shade helps it last longer in hot weather.
- 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.
- 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
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