Cilantro, also known as coriander, produces an abundance of umbrella shaped inflorescences covered in tiny blooms that attract pollinators and other beneficial insects.
In fact, its ability to attract beneficial bugs is what makes it one of the most powerful companion plants in the organic vegetable garden!
There are truly countless cilantro companion plant combinations you can make in the garden.
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But growing cilantro as a companion plant takes some forethought and planning, since this is a cool season herb that blooms when temperatures begin to warm up.
In this article you’ll learn about some of the best cilantro companion plant combinations that you can use in your own garden.
You’ll learn how these partnerships work in detail, but let’s start off with a quick view of our list:
11 of the Best Companion Plants for Cilantro
Companion planting allows gardeners to create stunning visual effects in the vegetable patch but primarily contributes to healthier plants and greater yields in an organic food growing system.
There are numerous benefits that come from this gardening approach, and you’ll learn about many of them in this article.
If this is a subject you’d like to learn more about, be sure to also read our guide to the scientifically-backed benefits of companion planting.
In this article we’ll focus on cilantro companion plants.
Could you use a few tips for growing this herb? Our guide to growing cilantro has you covered.
1. Arugula
As mentioned, the main benefit of using cilantro as a companion plant is its ability to attract beneficial insects with its flowers – making it protective for crops such as arugula!
The hoverflies drawn to cilantro’s nectar rich flowers act as natural enemies to armyworms, which are common arugula pests.
Why not try wild arugula, a heat and cold resistant salad green packed with pungent flavor!
You can purchase organic wild arugula seeds in a wide array of packet sizes from High Mowing Organic Seeds.
And check out our guide to growing arugula for more information!
2. Beans
Cilantro and beans make great companion plants, not just because of the pest protection offered by the herb.
In addition to providing services as an insectary plant in companion planting, in one study coriander was shown to also increase the macronutrient content of beans such as favas.
There are so many different types of beans you might consider growing in this partnership.
One of my favorite varieties of pole beans is ‘Northeaster,’ a Romano type that produces delicious, seven- to eight-inch long, flat, green pods in just 56 days.
You can find ‘Northeaster’ pole bean seeds in your choice of packet sizes from High Mowing Organic Seeds.
Learn more about growing green beans here.
3. Cabbage
One of the sights I most enjoy as I prepare my spring garden is a parasitoid wasp dragging a cabbage looper across the soil to its den.
While this is indeed gruesome for the caterpillar, this prey is both host and food for the wasp’s babies.
As baby wasps feed on these cabbage pests, the adults need nectar to survive, and cilantro is one of their favorite plants!
Cabbage is a cool-season brassica and there are a number of different varieties to choose from.
‘Caraflex’ produces petite heads that weigh in at one and a half to two pounds, and are ready to harvest in 75 days.
You can find ‘Caraflex’ cabbage seeds in packets of 140 available from Botanical Interests.
Then read our guide to growing cabbage for more information.
4. Carrots
In this article we’re looking primarily at combinations where cilantro is the helper – but in the case of carrots the tables have turned.
Growing carrots with coriander at a one to one ratio actually increases the yield of the herb. It’s also an efficient use of garden space, as the carrots are maturing underground.
There are so many wonderful types of carrots out there that it can be hard to choose just one.
‘Red Cored Chantenay’ is a chantenay carrot cultivar that has short, thick roots, making it perfect for all types of soils, and even the raised beds used in square foot gardens.
Grab some ‘Red Cored Chantenay’ carrot seeds in an assortment of packet sizes from True Leaf Market.
Learn more about growing carrots here.
5. Eggplant
Studies show that interplanting eggplant with cilantro or dill can help control Colorado potato beetle populations, as both herbs attract the pest’s natural predators.
Ladybugs are one of these beneficial insects that enjoy cilantro pollen.
They also enjoy feasting on Colorado potato beetle eggs, helping to reduce the risk of these pests attacking not only your eggplant, but also potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and ground cherries!
‘Ping Tung Long’ is an heirloom eggplant variety that bears an abundant crop of thin fruits reaching over a foot long. They are ready to harvest after 70 days from transplanting.
You can find ‘Ping Tung Long’ seeds available in a variety of packet sizes from High Mowing Organic Seeds.
Learn more about cultivating eggplant here.
6. Hot Peppers
Coriander plants also lend a hand in protecting hot peppers from pests.
One study found that when growing these two plants together, the hot peppers sustained less damage from thrips, caterpillars, and fruit flies.
Sow the cilantro early in spring, and transplant your hot peppers after the last average frost so that the coriander blooms just as the peppers are becoming established.
When your hot peppers are nearing harvest, it will be time to resow some fall cilantro seeds, giving you the homegrown makings of many flavor packed meals. Just add avocado!
‘Ring-O-Fire’ is an early-maturing type of cayenne pepper with fruits that register 30,000 on the Scoville scale, making them hotter than jalapenos, but nowhere near as hot as ghost peppers!
You can find ‘Ring-O-Fire’ seeds available from High Mowing Organic Seeds.
You can learn more about growing hot peppers here.
7. Kale
Kale is never so delicious as when it is harvested fresh from the garden – but aphids can throw a wrench into our plans for nutritious kale salads.
Cilantro to the rescue, yet again!
Research shows that growing kale with coriander plants increases kale harvests thanks to the increase in aphid predators attracted to the cilantro.
‘Dazzling Blue’ is a type of lacinato kale that has eye-catchingly bright leaves, bringing unexpected, icy blue beauty to the garden patch.
Organic ‘Dazzling Blue’ kale seeds are available at High Mowing Organic Seeds in an array of packet sizes.
Learn more about growing kale here.
8. Lettuce
Did you ever consider that in addition to ladybugs and lacewings, spiders could be beneficial to your garden?
Plant some coriander with your lettuce crops, and these helpful arachnids will flourish, providing yet another means of controlling insect pests.
Just make sure to plant low-growing plants like lettuce to the south side of the taller herb, so that the shorter crop doesn’t end up in the shade when the cilantro flowers.
There are many different types of lettuce – but if you’re looking for one that will remain edible going into summer, choose a heat tolerant variety such as ‘Jericho.’
Pick up packets of ‘Jericho’ lettuce seeds from High Mowing Organic Seeds.
Check out our guide to growing lettuce for more information.
9. Radishes
One of the benefits of growing radishes and cilantro together is that this combination allows gardeners to benefit from something called a multi-storied or multi-tier cropping system, making more efficient use of a plot of land.
Pretend that your garden plot is an apartment building.
In this analogy, the radishes live in the basement and ground floor, while cilantro quickly grows taller to dwell on the second and higher floors!
And since smaller radish varieties have a short growing season, you’ll harvest the radishes early in the season, leaving cilantro more room to grow as it bolts and produces beneficial insect-attracting flowers.
There are so many types of radishes to choose from!
One of the classics is ‘French Breakfast,’ a French heirloom originally known as ‘Radis Demi-long Rose a Bout Blanc’ – a mouthful whether you are fluent in that language or not!
You can see why it was given a name change.
‘French Breakfast’ radishes are ready to harvest in just 26 days – and no, you don’t really have to eat them for breakfast!
You can find ‘French Breakfast’ seeds in your choice of packet size available at Eden Brothers.
Learn more about how to grow radishes here.
10. Tomatoes
One of the most common tomato pests is the whitefly, a small insect related to aphids that causes damage to plants and transmits viruses.
Guess who eats whitefly larvae? Ladybugs, hoverflies, and lacewing larvae!
By growing tomatoes with cilantro companion plants, you’ll attract lacewings and help keep away whitefly infestations, increasing yields from your beefsteak, ‘Cherokee Purple,’ and ‘Hawaiian Pineapple’ crops.
If you’re in the mood for a recommendation, ‘Matt’s Wild Cherry’ is one of my favorite cherry tomato cultivars.
Intensely tangy, these small fruits can be thrown whole into summer salads.
You can pick up some ‘Matt’s Wild Cherry’ seeds in a variety of packet sizes from True Leaf Market.
Our guide to growing tomatoes has more information.
11. Turmeric
Are you one of those cutting edge gardeners growing unusual fruit and vegetable crops or tropical herbs and spices in your backyard or greenhouse?
Consider combining turmeric and cilantro, along with onion, for higher yields of turmeric rhizomes!
If you live in a warm location, equivalent to USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 11, you can grow turmeric outdoors year round.
Turmeric plants are grown from rhizomes rather than seeds.
You can grow your own from a supermarket rhizome as long as it isn’t treated to inhibit sprouting – or skip the sprouting part and get started with a plant!
You can find potted turmeric plants available from Burpee.
Learn more about growing turmeric here.
An Herbal Helper for the Garden
These cilantro plant partnerships should get you on a good start on using this popular herb to the benefit of your garden.
But keep in mind that these combinations are just the tip of the companion planting iceberg – there are so many more to try out!
Are there any other cilantro companion plant pairings you’ve tried and loved? Or are there any combos you would like feedback on before you try them out? Let us know in the comments section below!
Want to learn more about growing cilantro and other types of herbs? We have more reading for you right here:
