What To Do With Cilantro After It Flowers

Cilantro after it flowers is still perfectly usable, but the leaves change, so you’ll want to act fast.
 
Once cilantro bolts, it sends up a tall stalk with delicate white or pink flowers, and that’s when the flavor of the leaves starts to shift.
 
So if you’ve been wondering what to do with cilantro after it flowers, the short answer is: harvest the flowers, let some go to seed for coriander, and use the remaining leaves before they turn bitter.
 
In this post, we’ll walk through exactly what to do with cilantro after it flowers so nothing in your garden goes to waste.
 

What to Do With Cilantro After It Flowers: The First Steps

What to do with cilantro after it flowers really comes down to timing, because the plant is telling you it’s done growing leaves and ready to reproduce.
 
Here’s how to handle that moment:
 

1. Harvest the Flowers Right Away

The flowers of cilantro are edible and surprisingly tasty.
 
They have a mild cilantro flavor with a hint of sweetness, which makes them great for garnishing salads, tacos, and soups.
 
When you’re figuring out what to do with cilantro after it flowers, picking the blooms is one of the easiest wins.
 
Just snip them off with clean scissors and use them fresh.
 

2. Pick the Remaining Leaves Before They Turn

The leaves on a flowering cilantro plant are still usable, but they get lacy and start to lose that bright, citrusy punch.
 
So if you want to know what to do with cilantro after it flowers without losing the leaves, harvest them now.
 
Use them right away in salsa, chutney, or pesto, because they won’t hold up as long once the plant has bolted.
 

3. Stop Fertilizing and Ease Up on Water

A flowering cilantro doesn’t need the same care as a leafy one.
 
What to do with cilantro after it flowers includes backing off the fertilizer, since pushing nitrogen now just encourages more flowering instead of leaf growth.
 
Water lightly and let the plant focus its energy on making seeds.
 

Let It Go to Seed for Coriander

One of the best answers to what to do with cilantro after it flowers is to let the plant finish its cycle and produce coriander seeds.
 
Here’s why that’s worth it:
 

1. Coriander Seeds Are a Completely Different Spice

The seeds that form after cilantro flowers are coriander, and they taste nothing like the leaves.
 
They’re warm, citrusy, and a little nutty, which is why they show up in curries, pickles, and spice blends.
 
So when you ask what to do with cilantro after it flowers, saving the seeds gives you two spices from one plant.
 

2. Wait for the Seeds to Turn Brown

Don’t rush this part.
 
Let the flowers fade and the seed heads dry on the plant until they turn light brown.
 
Then cut the stalks and hang them upside down over a paper bag so the seeds drop as they dry.
 
This step is key when you’re deciding what to do with cilantro after it flowers, because green seeds won’t store well.
 

3. Store the Seeds Properly

Once the coriander seeds are fully dry, pop them into an airtight jar.
 
Keep the jar in a cool, dark spot, and they’ll stay flavorful for about a year.
 
Now you’ve turned the question of what to do with cilantro after it flowers into a stocked spice shelf.
 

Save the Seeds for Your Next Planting

Another smart option for what to do with cilantro after it flowers is to save some seeds for replanting.
 
Cilantro grows fast from seed, so this is an easy way to keep your supply going.
 
Just set aside a few of the plumpest coriander seeds before you grind them up for cooking.
 
When the weather cools, sow them directly in the garden, and you’ll have fresh cilantro again in a few weeks.
 
This is probably the most rewarding answer to what to do with cilantro after it flowers, because it keeps the cycle going.
 

So, What to Do With Cilantro After It Flowers?

What to do with cilantro after it flowers comes down to three simple moves: harvest the edible blooms, pick the remaining leaves fast, and let the rest go to seed for coriander.
 
A flowering cilantro isn’t a failure, it’s just the plant moving into its next stage.
 
So the next time your cilantro bolts, don’t toss it.
 
Use the flowers, save the seeds, and enjoy the coriander.