Lemon Coriander is a coriander variety with a delicious fresh, lemon-like flavour that is quite different from ordinary coriander. It is a culinary herb widely used in Asian and Moroccan cuisine. It is delicious in stews, fish dishes, Moroccan tagines and Asian soups with coconut milk. Do not cook it for too long, as this reduces its delicate flavour. Fresh leaves can also be sprinkled over dishes just before serving.
Although Lemon Coriander is botanically a biennial, it is usually grown as an annual in colder climates because it is not frost hardy. Non hardy biennial. Heigth: 40 cm.
Buying Lemon Coriander Seeds
Lemon Coriander is a popular culinary herb in Asian and Moroccan cooking. Its refreshing citrus flavour makes it an excellent addition to stews, Moroccan tagines, fish dishes, Asian soups and coconut curries. For the best flavour, add the leaves near the end of cooking or sprinkle them fresh over the finished dish. If you enjoy cooking with coriander, growing your own Lemon Coriander from seed is an excellent choice.
Sowing Lemon Coriander
Every packet of Lemon Coriander seeds includes detailed sowing instructions. Seeds can be started indoors early in the year and sown outdoors from May onwards, once the danger of frost has passed. A large garden is not required, as Lemon Coriander also grows well in large pots or containers. Depending on the temperature and weather conditions, germination usually takes 14 to 21 days.
Using Lemon Coriander
Both the leaves and the seeds are edible. The leaves have a refreshing lemon-like flavour that is distinctly different from that of common coriander. They are excellent in stews, Moroccan tagines, fish dishes, Asian soups and coconut curries. When harvesting, avoid removing more than one-third of the plant at a time. This allows the plant to continue growing so that additional harvests are possible later in the season. The young leaves have the best flavour, while the older, fern-like leaves can become slightly bitter. The stems are also edible and can be finely chopped and added to dishes. Once the plant begins to flower, it produces very few new leaves. However, it remains valuable because the seeds ripen and can be harvested for drying. The fresh seeds resemble small peppercorns and retain their flavour for a long time. Freshly harvested seeds are often even more aromatic than commercially available coriander seeds. Ground coriander seeds are commonly known as ground coriander.
Indoor sowing: February - March
Outdoor sowing: middle of May - June
Germination: 5 - 21 days
Germinationtemp.: 15 - 20°C
Sowing depth.: 1 - 1½ cm
Plant distance: 23 - 30 cm
Plant position: sunny - half shade
Harvest period: July - October
Sow indoors from February till March in a large flowerpot approx. 10 seeds. Sow approx. 1½ deep and cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. Keep moist and warm. Keep the temperature as even as possible and don't let the temperature drop during the nights. Don't put the flowerpots in a window-sill but put them on a light and warm spot. Make sure that the pots have a good drainage.
Sow outdoors from the middle of May, when there's no longer any danger of nightfrosts, on a sunny spot with free draining soil. Sow approx. 1 cm deep and cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. Germination takes approx. 14 - 21 days, depending on the temperature and the weather. Coriander has a very tender rootsystem that doesn't tolerate transplanting. Thin the seedlings, when they're large enough to handle, to 25 cm apart and all around. Keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged, because coriander hates wet feed. Put the plants on a sunny plot with some shade in the summer and free draining soil. Harvest the leaves regurlarly.
