Coriander - Coriandrum sativum
80 Seeds
Sow April - July.
Tender annual.
Height 60cm (2ft), spread 20cm (8in).
Prefers a light, rich soil in a sunny position.
Sow in spring, either direct into the final container or out in open ground in April. If sowing under cover ensure the seed is well covered and kept moist. Propagate at 15-18o C.
This bright green plant has thin, erect, finely grooved stems and compound, pinnate leaves. The lower leaves are rounded and lobed, while the upper ones are finely dissected. The tiny white to reddish flowers have compound umbels with three to ten rays, which appear from mid-summer to autumn. The outer flowers are larger than the inner ones. The fruit consists of brownish, spherical seeds in clusters. The seeds have a musty odour, with a hint of orange.
Coriander
Also known as Chinese parsley, Yuen Sai, Pak Chee and Fragrant Green. From the family Apiaceae.
Native to the Mediterranean region, Coriander was named after the bedbug emitting the same odour and it is commonly named cilantro. It originated in Southern Europe and reached other areas centuries ago, including the hanging gardens of Babylon. Ancient Sanskrit texts, Egyptian papyrus records and the Bible all mention Coriander. The Chinese believed it imparted immortality and it ws used in love potions as an aphrodisiac in the Middle Ages.