Cilantro (Dhaniya) — Details and Growing Information

Every Indian kitchen knows dhania, the bright and fragrant herb that finishes chutneys, curries, chaats, and salads. This Slow Bolt variety is bred to handle warmth better than ordinary cilantro, which gives home gardeners a longer and more reliable harvest window before the plants flower and set seed.

The leaves are lush, tender, and deeply aromatic, with a balanced citrus-and-spice flavor that defines Indian cooking. You can harvest young for delicate garnish leaves, or allow a few plants to mature so they produce coriander seeds, giving you two spices from one plant.

Why Indian Home Gardeners Love This Variety

Cilantro can be frustrating to buy because it wilts quickly and loses aroma fast. Growing dhania at home solves this problem. This Slow Bolt variety performs especially well in regions with mild winters and warming springs. It has been tested through California’s cool-season and early-summer conditions and has shown excellent reliability.

Although tested in California, the variety grows well in many parts of the United States with similar seasonal patterns, including the Southwest, the Southeast, and most temperate regions.

• Authentic flavor, picked fresh for maximum fragrance

• Reliable in mild winter climates, ideal for raised beds, grow bags, and containers

• Dual purpose for fresh leaves or dried coriander seeds

• Continuous harvest when sown every 2 to 3 weeks

Growing Information

Cilantro prefers full sun in cool weather and partial shade once temperatures rise. It grows best in rich and well-drained soil that stays evenly moist.

• Best sowing windows: Fall through spring in mild climates, early spring in colder regions

• Sowing depth: 1/4 inch (6 mm)

• Germination: 7 to 14 days at 55 to 70 °F (13 to 21 °C)

• Spacing: Thin seedlings to 6 inches apart

• Tip: Cilantro dislikes transplanting, so direct sowing is recommended

The Slow Bolt variety extends harvests by several weeks as the weather warms. For a long and steady supply, reseed every 3 to 4 weeks.

Harvest and Use

Begin harvesting leaves when plants reach 4 to 6 inches tall. Cut the outer stems first to encourage continuous growth. Use the fresh leaves in chutneys, dals, raitas, curries, chaats, and salads. As the plants mature, allow a few to flower and produce seeds. These can be dried, lightly toasted, and ground into fresh dhania powder.

Quick Facts

• Botanical name: Coriandrum sativum

• Variety: Slow Bolt Cilantro

• Type: Annual herb

• Sun: Full sun to partial shade

• Days to germination: 7 to 14

• Days to maturity: 40 to 50 (for leaf harvest)

• Sowing depth: 1/4 inch (6 mm)

• Spacing: 6 inches (15 cm)

• Best season: Fall to spring in mild climates, early spring elsewhere