Hi Carol, Harry and all, The plant under discussion is called "Coriandrum sativum", or in just plain slang Coriander. The seeds are called Coriander. The lower leaves, which look like parsley, are called Cilantro. Sometimes the leaves are called Cilentro or Culantro. Another common name for Coriander is Chinese Parsley.
If we say "cilantro leaf" its like saying "leaf leaf", there being no such thing as a cilantro leaf because it is a coriandrum leaf. It is a small to medium upright plant, an annual. The lower leaves (cilantro) resemble parsley but become threadlike higher up the plant. It develops clusters of tiny white flowers in late summer and fall. The seed heads are round and full of pale brown seeds (coriander). The lower leaves are tangy and used for flavoring in Middle Eastern, Mexican, and Oriental cooking. the seeds are used in curries and pickles, as well as in Gin and Chartreuse. Medically , seeds are used for minor digestive disorders and headaches. The oil of the seeds helps relieve painful joints. Preserve the leaves by freezing and the seeds by drying. In herb lore the powdered seeds are used in love potions and spells. Mixing the powdered seeds with wine makes an effective lust potion. Grow it in full sun if you want seeds and minimal leaves or grow it in part shade to have more leaves and less seed. Grow it "in situ", no transplanting. Grows well in pots. Bless you Bob Lee -- oozing on the muggy shore of the gulf coast [email protected] -- The silver-list is a moderated forum for discussion of colloidal silver. To join or quit silver-list or silver-digest send an e-mail message to: [email protected] -or- [email protected] with the word subscribe or unsubscribe in the SUBJECT line. To post, address your message to: [email protected] Silver-list archive: http://escribe.com/health/thesilverlist/index.html List maintainer: Mike Devour <[email protected]>
