Cilantro is a great companion plant in the garden thanks to its ability to attract beneficial insects that often prey on pests that feed on other crops. Today, we will explore the best companion plants for cilantro and their uses.
1. Anise
Anise is a cool-growing herb in the same family as cilantro and has similar growing requirements. It contains a variety of nutrients and offers many health benefits. Anise has a flavor similar to black licorice; its pungent aroma deters aphids that infest and feed on cilantro leaves and biting fleas.
2. Asparagus
Asparagus is a perennial and may be the earliest harvested spring vegetable. Its harvest only lasts a few weeks; then, it is allowed to grow, reaching 4 to 5 feet. This shade-providing height is how asparagus helps cilantro survive as the weather turns warmer. Cilantro can be grown alongside asparagus because it has a short root system that will not impede asparagus development. Additionally, cilantro repels spider mites and aphids.
3. Tomato
Tomatoes grow tall in the summer, and they thrive in the heat. They provide shade to cilantro, a cool-weather plant that prolongs its growing season.
Many predator species, including wasps that lay their eggs under the skin of hornworms, are drawn to cilantro flowers. Cilantro releases fragrant volatile chemicals that make it harder for bugs to detect tomatoes. As a result, your tomato will produce a healthier crop.
4. Beans
Green beans, in particular, make wonderful cilantro companion plants. Legumes help store nitrogen in the soil, which is necessary for healthy and vigorous plant growth. They help the cilantro produce bushier foliage for a greater harvest.
Beans, especially pole varieties, may also give much-needed shade to cilantro and the cilantro blossoms attract a variety of pest predators.
5. Leafy Vegetables
Plant cilantro among lush green crops like cabbage, lettuce, spinach, and kale. Aphids, potato beetles, spider mites, and cabbage moths are just a few of the pests that infest these leafy vegetables. Cilantro flowers attract various insects that prey on these pests.
Because cilantro is a light feeder, it will not compete for soil minerals.
6. Herbs
Cilantro grows well with other herbs such as basil, parsley, and chervil, which require the same amount of water and sunlight. Planting these herbs in one container herb garden also makes watering easier. Sun-loving herbs like rosemary, thyme, and lavender are not natural growing partners for cilantro.
7. Tall Flowers
Tall flowers like cosmos, sunflowers, tansy, yarrow, coreopsis, and sweet alyssum can give shade and add color to a vegetable garden. They can also provide afternoon shade for crops, like cilantro, that do not like the heat.
Coreopsis also attracts beneficial insects such as lady beetles and green lacewing larvae, which devour aphids. These insects are also particularly drawn to sweet alyssum.