Companion Plant Guide
Spinach
Cool season companions.
Herb · Umbellifer family
Cilantro companion plants
Coriandrum sativum
What to plant with cilantro, what to keep apart, and how to grow it — sun, spacing, soil and the reason behind every pairing.
Photo: Natalie Kinnear on Unsplash
Overview
Growing cilantro beside the right neighbour
Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) is a herb in the Umbellifer family. Fast-growing herb for cool seasons, bolts in heat.
Cilantro bolts fast in heat — sow it beside leafy crops that give it light shade.
Give plants 6–12 in in sun or part shade. Aim for well-draining, moderate fertility. In most gardens the crop sits in USDA zones 2-11 and is ready in about 15-25 days (for leaves).
Grows well with
What to plant with cilantro
The best companion plants for cilantro in this guide are Spinach and Lettuce. Each pairing below is a reason to share a bed — pest masking, roots that do not compete, or insects that hunt the pests drawn to cilantro.
Lettuce
Complementary growth patterns.
In the bed
How to grow cilantro
| Sun | Sun or part shade |
|---|---|
| Spacing | 6–12 in |
| Soil | Well-draining, moderate fertility |
| Hardiness | Zones 2-11 |
| Days to maturity | 15-25 (for leaves) |
These notes sit beside the companion lists — they are how cilantro actually occupies the bed, not a substitute for local climate.
- Sow seeds every 3 weeks for continuous harvest
- Bolts quickly in hot weather
- Shade in summer to extend season
- Let some plants flower for beneficial insects
Questions
Cilantro companion planting FAQ
What can I plant next to cilantro?
Plant Spinach and Lettuce beside cilantro. Spinach: Cool season companions. Lettuce: Complementary growth patterns.
What should I not plant with cilantro?
Cilantro has no recorded antagonists in this guide — it gets on with most of the bed.
How much sun do cilantro plants need?
Cilantro plants want sun or part shade. Space them 6–12 in apart in well-draining, moderate fertility.
How long do cilantro plants take to mature?
Most cilantro plants are ready in about 15-25 days (for leaves). Cilantro grows in USDA hardiness zones 2-11.
Compare every pairing at a glance
Open the guide, pick cilantro, and see what thrives alongside it — and what quietly holds it back.
Open the pairing guide