CILANTRO (Coriandrum sativum) is best known these days as a fresh culinary herb essential to Mexican cooking, but the seeds, called Coriander, have been an essential of the spice and medicine chest since ancient Greece. The fragrance is fresh, fruity and clean! Make successive sowings of this uniquely fresh and pungent slow-bolting heirloom strain to ensure continual availability. 50-55 days to first leaf harvest, 90-120 days to seed. Annual. 250 seeds. ORGANICALLY GROWN
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES: Hippocrates recognized Coriander's many medicinal uses including as a mouthwash (crushed seed infusion), for digestion (chew seeds), and as an anti-spasmodic (cramps) tea. In Europe, it is known as the anti-diabetes spice and recent studies have suggested that it may help stimulate the body's production of insulin as well as lowering blood sugar levels. Similarly, it has been shown to help maintain healthy cholesteral levels. Both leaf and seed have anti-microbial properties and were used even in ancient times for that purpose. Modern science has found that compounds in Cilantro are effective at combating Salmonella and other food-born illness. The herb has high levels of phytonutrients, phenols and flavonoids, and is a good source of dietary fiber as well as containing iron, magnesium and manganese.
GROWING TIPS: A very short-lived plant, grown in early spring or fall when weather is cool. I grow mine in pots, so I can move out of the hot mid-day sun or into my windowed mud room in the winter time where it does nicely even when the temperature dips to freezing. During the growing season, it is probably mot practical to just reseed it every 3-4 weeks. During the winter, it is a great candidate for growing in your Aerogarden. I start harvesting as soon as the leaves appear mature. It is a cut and come again plant. So after I have had as much as I think I can reasonably harvest from it, I'll turn my attentions to the next pot and let the old pot go to seed. In this fashion you can rotate 3 pots and always have plenty of this essential herb for Mexican cooking!
CHERRYGAL HEIRLOOM GARDEN SEEDS & PLANTS offer hundreds of heirloom and vintage open-pollinated varieties. Most have histories dating back centuries and are tried and true producers. Some are rare, or threatened with extinction. When you grow a plant from heirloom seed and save that seed, you are participating in a practice that goes back for generations. Our grandparents and their grandparents grew these varieties. Often the seeds were prized possessions carried to the New World when they emigrated.
Ever notice how most seed catalogs require you to buy (and pay for) much more seed than you could ever possibly use in a season? If you have a budget for garden seeds, this limits your choices! Although seeds can be viable for longer than one growing season, it requires that they be stored at a consistent temperature and humidity. Few of us do this. CherryGal sizes its seed packets for the home gardener, because we know you may want to grow 5 different lettuces, or three different corns, and don’t want to have to take out a second mortgage to do so! But at the prices most stores and catalogues charge, if you sample 20 different vegetables, herbs and flowers you will be spending $50 - $70! But, the same seeds at CherryGal.com will probably run around $25. CHERRYGAL SEEDS ARE A TREMENDOUS BARGAIN!
Another important reason to grow a large variety of plants is that one of the chief culprits in honey bee colony collapse disorder seems to be that their immune systems are weakened by the prevalence of mono-cropping. In other words, bees pollinating only one variety crop have a diet equivalent to eating only bread. Growing an abundant variety of vegetables, herbs and flowers will help sustain our precious honeybees!
All seeds offered are FRESH stock, with high germination rates, tested by the growers and myself. Varieties are specially selected for home gardeners. If you want the flavor you remember from grandma's kitchen garden or the beauty of her cottage flowers, choose CHERRYGAL HEIRLOOM SEEDS.
ABOUT OPEN-POLLINATED SEEDS . . . All CherryGal Heirloom Seeds are heirlooms (dating at least 100 years) or vintage (mid-20th Century or older) varieties, with an occasional modern variety included which I believe merits special attention. All CherryGal Heirloom Seeds are OPEN-POLLINATED. This means saved seed will be true to the parent. Don't be dazzled by the never-ending array of hybrid seeds promoted by gardening suppliers. First, seeds from that produce will not grow true to the parent -- you have to keep buying the hybrid seed (get the picture?). Second, most hybrids are developed for market – not home -- growers with an emphasis on extended shelf life, storage and shipping qualities -- NOT flavor, texture and all those other elements that home growers seek.
All CHERRYGAL HEIRLOOM SEEDS come from reputable growers (most of them small farms) and wherever possible ORGANIC suppliers (so noted). By buying CHERRYGAL SEEDS you are supporting the growing worldwide movement of SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE and with a little practice you will be able to save even more money in the future by growing open-pollinated varieties and saving seed for next year.
Please Note: CherryGal Heirloom Seeds are guaranteed to be fresh stock, but are not guaranteed as to results (sorry - we wish we could, but there are too many variables in gardening) so please do not ask to return. However, we think you will be pleased and would like to hear about your gardening success!
SHIPPING: I endeavor to ship my seeds as quickly as possible - usually within 24 - 48 hours. During peak seed season (January - June) this timeframe can stretch to a week or more because of heavy volume of sales. I do the best I can and fulfill orders in the order received. If a variety is on back order with a supplier and not likely to available for a week or longer, you will be advised and given the opportunity to substitute or cancel with refund. I package my seeds for shipping in a manner appropriate to the amount and type of seed - larger orders and larger seeds require more packaging. Whether you choose first class mail or priority shipping, your seeds will ship using a delivery confirmation number which will be supplied to you. Our checkout system is keyed to the US Postal System. For small seed orders, I recommend choosing FIRST CLASS mail at checkout. Larger orders (over 13 ounces) can ship either parcel post, though you may find PRIORITY MAIL actually to be less expensive. (I gave up trying to figure out the US Postal System rates a long time ago).
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