Cilantro

Cilantro

Scientific Name:
Coriandrum sativum

Family:
Apiaceae

Varieties:

• Confetti (ID: 163)
• Default (ID: 91)
• Calypso (ID: 40)
• Santo (ID: 161)

Introduction

Coriandrum sativum, commonly known as cilantro or coriander, is an annual herb belonging to the family Apiaceae. It is native to regions spanning from southern Europe and North Africa to southwestern Asia. The plant is renowned for its culinary and medicinal uses, with the leaves being used as the herb cilantro and the seeds as the spice coriander. Coriandrum sativum has been recognized for its bioactive phytochemicals, which exhibit a wide range of biological activities including antioxidant, anticancer, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Characteristics

• Physical Characteristics: The plant grows up to 50 cm tall, with variable leaf shapes and small white or pale pink flowers in umbels. The leaves have a pungent, sweet-musky odor and taste, while the seeds are sweetly aromatic, nutty, and spicy.
• Growing Conditions: Cilantro is a cool-season crop that thrives in well-drained soil with full sun to light shade. It bolts easily in hot climates and does not survive hard freezes.
• Lifecycle: It is an annual plant, completing its lifecycle within a year. For leaf production, it takes about 45-80 days, while seed production requires a longer growing season of at least 100 days.

Why is this crop useful for space?

Cultivating Coriandrum sativum in space could offer several benefits: - Nutritional Value: As a source of essential nutrients and antioxidants, it could contribute to a balanced diet in space missions. - Medicinal Properties: Its bioactive compounds could provide health benefits, such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which are crucial in space environments where oxidative stress may be heightened. - Psychological Benefits: Fresh herbs can enhance meal quality and morale, which is important for long-duration space missions. - Low Maintenance: Being a fast-growing crop, it could be easily integrated into hydroponic or aeroponic systems, which are common in space agriculture due to their water efficiency and space-saving design.

History of Cultivation in Space

Currently, there is no specific information available on the cultivation of Coriandrum sativum in space. However, NASA and other space agencies have conducted experiments on growing various crops in controlled environments to support future long-term missions. These experiments often focus on leafy greens and other fast-growing plants, making cilantro a potential candidate for future space cultivation projects.