Plant Library

Other Names:  Coriander, Chinese Parsley

Description:

Commonly grown in herb gardens for its strong scented foliage; an essential herb for culinary use; bred for a longer harvest, this compact, bushy selection is fast growing and slow to bolt; dislikes hot summers and humidity

Edible Qualities

Calypso Cilantro is an annual herb that is typically grown for its edible qualities. The fragrant ferny pinnately compound green leaves can be harvested at any time in the season. The leaves have a savory taste.

The leaves are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Cooking
• Seasoning
• Sauces

Planting & Growing

Calypso Cilantro will grow to be about 16 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 6 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. This fast-growing annual will normally live for one full growing season, needing replacement the following year.

This plant is typically grown in a designated herb garden. It does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Calypso Cilantro is a good choice for the edible garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers and foliage against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.