Yes — Strong Match
cilantro (zones 2-11) covers every zone New Mexico contains (5a-9a), so hardiness is not what limits it anywhere in the state.
Cilantro in New Mexico — the short answer
Cilantro in New Mexico: hardy in zones 2–11, part sun, against a state median of ~209 frost-free days.
- Plant zones
- 2-11
- Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
- New Mexico zones
- 5a-9a
- USDA PHZM 2023
- Frost window
- Mar 31 - Apr 19 – Oct 22 - Nov 9
- NOAA RCC ACIS 1991-2020, 28°F
- Shortest county season
- 144 days
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze
- Days to maturity
- 50 days
- Growable Ground Plant Database
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — per-field provenance varies and is published with the dataset.
Your yard isn't the whole zone.
Cilantro is grown as an annual, so your winter zone isn't the deciding factor — your frost-free window is. A typical New Mexico site runs ~209 frost-free days, but that is a state median, not your yard: slope, trees, and low spots move the last-frost date across a single parcel. Enter your address and we'll score cilantro against your land's actual frost dates, sun, and soil.
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New Mexico is not one climate
A single New Mexico answer averages 33 counties whose growing seasons are 120 days apart — from 144 frost-free days in Catron County to 264 in Doña Ana County. Which end of that your land sits nearer changes what cilantro can finish before the first hard freeze.
The middle half of 33 counties runs 186–221 days, with a median of 209 days — a 120-day span end to end.
Measured across 33 New Mexico counties. NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020, county 28°F killing freeze. Quartiles are order statistics — every figure shown is a value a real county recorded, not an interpolation. Your own site sits somewhere inside this range; a parcel report resolves where.
Where in New Mexico Fits Best
Even within New Mexico's zones 5a-9a, county microclimates differ enough to change what thrives. These counties carry the closest zone match for cilantro (USDA PHZM 2023):
Zone Comparison
Cilantro Needs
- USDA Zones: 2-11
- Frost-Free Days: 35+
- Sun: Part Sun
- Mature size: 2 ft tall
- Picking window: ~14 days of harvest
- Drought tolerance: Low
New Mexico Has
- USDA Zones: 5a-9a
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Mar 31 - Apr 19
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Oct 22 - Nov 9
- Annual Rainfall: 8-20 inches
- Common Soils: Sandy loam, Caliche, Adobe clay
Plant Zone Range (zones 2-11)
Preferred Soil pH
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources — per-field provenance varies and is published with the dataset. State data: USDA ARS PHZM 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NRCS SSURGO.
When to Plant Cilantro in New Mexico
The frost window
Across New Mexico, the last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 31 and Apr 19, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 22 and Nov 9 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Counting from the latest last freeze to the earliest first freeze, that's a 186-day window you can count on — up to 223 days on a mild site in a kind year. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost, so tender transplants usually wait another 2-3 weeks.
Frost tenderness
Cilantro is frost-tender — FAO ECOCROP puts its killing temperature at 32°F — so set plants out two to three weeks PAST your local last hard freeze, not on it and not on the state's earliest date. The 28°F marker above is when killing freezes stop, not when light frost does. That is the point where cold damages growing tissue, not a winter-survival floor — an established perennial comes through far colder while dormant, which is what its hardiness zone tells you.
When to start the seed
Cilantro is direct-sown where it grows rather than started under cover, so there is no seed-tray head start to bank — New Mexico's dates above are the whole calendar for it. That makes the last-freeze date the binding constraint, and a warmer pocket of your own yard is worth more to this crop than it is to a transplanted one.
Days to maturity vs. the window
At 50 days to maturity (Growable Ground Plant Database), counting from the last hard freeze it ripens with 136 days to spare even in New Mexico's tightest freeze scenario — room for a later start or a second sowing.
Timing tuned to sub-state frost dates — Catron County, not the statewide average.
Frost window: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020. Plant timing fields: Growable Ground Plant Database — frost-free days from FAO ECOCROP, days to harvest from university Extension production guides, and growing-degree-day and chill-hour minimums that are compilation estimates rather than published figures. Your site's own frost dates can run earlier or later than the state range — a parcel report pins them down.
Growing Season Fit
The zone check says cilantro survives winter here. Whether the season is long enough — and warm enough — is a different question.
Frost-free days
Cilantro wants 35+ frost-free days; a typical New Mexico site sees ~209 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). That leaves comfortable headroom for succession planting.
Growing degree days
Cilantro needs ~700 GDD (base 50°F) to ripen. The state median runs ~2899 GDD (from PRISM 1991-2020 climate normals), so New Mexico's typical season clears that easily.
GDD and chill-hour figures are computed from PRISM 1991-2020 monthly climate normals; frost-free days from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020. Each is the state median across its counties (P25/P75 span the within-state spread). Hardiness-zone range is USDA PHZM 2023.
Soil + Drainage Fit
Cilantro tolerates a wide pH range (pH 4-8) — 4 units, acid ground through alkaline — so soil acidity is rarely what limits it in New Mexico. A soil test is still worth having, but for what else it tells you about this site, not to clear this plant. It will grow across that whole span, but it does best between pH 5.5 and 7.5 — worth knowing before you decide whether a New Mexico soil test result is a problem or just a number. Drainage matters: this plant wants well (dry spells). If your New Mexico site is heavier clay or sits in a low spot, raised beds or amendment with compost solve it.
Your land, not the state average
New Mexico's soils run mostly loam, but SSURGO maps the series, texture, and drainage under your exact parcel. Cilantro needs about 19 inches of workable depth, so it is that horizon — not the surface — you are testing for. That map unit, not the state average, decides how cilantro performs.
Check your parcel → Source: USDA NRCS SSURGO.
Plant pH requirements: FAO ECOCROP and USDA PLANTS, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation. Drainage: FAO ECOCROP, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation. New Mexico soil profile from USDA NRCS SSURGO. Site-specific verification: a 30-minute soil test from your local Extension lab.
Before you plant cilantro for food
Anything you grow to eat takes up what is in the ground it grows in, so what is on record near you is worth knowing before cilantro goes in. What follows is New Mexico’s documented federal record at state scale — a screening signal, not a soil test, and not a statement about any one lot.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across New Mexico — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across New Mexico — 19,441 documented sites across 8 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 230 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
New Mexico carries one of the heavier federal records we track — and that's not a verdict on your yard. Proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis: nothing here says any particular parcel is affected. It does earn one concrete step — before food beds go in the ground, a professional soil test tells you exactly what you're working with, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well almost anywhere in the meantime.
Severity Distribution
across New Mexico
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around New Mexico, two things run higher than the national average across New Mexico — Nitrate (8,470 sites) and Mining (1,718 sites). Knowing it is half the work — and it's nothing a thoughtful grower can't plan for.
Nitrate: Nitrate contamination primarily comes from agricultural fertilizer runoff and failing septic systems.
Mining: Mining sites — both historic and active — can leach heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury) into soil and water for centuries after operations cease.
Test well water for nitrate if you rely on a private well for irrigation (EPA standard: 10 mg/L).
Test soil for heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury) — this is essential near any mining site.
Sources: EPA, USGS — 1.8M documented sites tracked nationwide across 9 federal source types.
What Else to Consider for Cilantro in New Mexico
Zone compatibility tells you about winter cold survival — but New Mexico growers also need to think about:
Very low rainfall requires irrigation for most crops
High altitude UV intensity can burn tender transplants
Alkaline soils limit plant selection without amendment
Growing cilantro here specifically
Cilantro prefers pH 4.0–8.0 and room to root medium; across much of New Mexico, restrictive group-D subsoil (SSURGO) blocks that depth.
Build cilantro a deep raised bed of loose soil to bypass the dense subsoil entirely. How to handle it →
What to actually do about these — and the constraints that apply to every New Mexico grower, not just cilantro — is covered on the New Mexico growing guide.
Timing shifts within New Mexico
New Mexico isn't one climate. In Catron County, the last hard freeze (28°F) holds until about May 22 — roughly 43 days later than the recorded state median — so plant cilantro to your county's window, not the statewide date.
Cilantro needs about 35 days of frost-free season to complete its cycle. Even Catron County — New Mexico’s shortest season at 144 frost-free days — clears that by 109 days, so season length isn’t the constraint anywhere in New Mexico. What varies is your own parcel.
Across New Mexico’s 33 counties the frost-free season runs from 144 days in Catron County to 264 days in Doña Ana County — a spread of 120 days, which is why a single statewide planting date misleads. The median New Mexico county sees 209 frost-free days, leaving cilantro about 174 days of slack on a typical parcel — room for a second sowing where the season runs long.
County last-freeze dates and frost-free day counts: NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS (1991-2020), county 28°F freeze (earlier than the folk 32°F "last frost"). Cilantro's 35-day requirement: USDA PLANTS / Growable Ground plant database (minimum frost-free days). A parcel report resolves your address's own frost dates.
Pollinator + Wildlife Value
Cilantro draws honeybees and native bees (moderate value, Growable Ground Plant Database). Planting it near vegetable beds can lift fruit set on neighboring crops. Outdoors, cilantro can only work that bloom inside New Mexico's frost window — roughly 209 days, opening after the last 28°F freeze (Mar 31 - Apr 19) and closing at the first (Oct 22 - Nov 9), per NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020.
Recommended Cilantro Varieties for New Mexico
New Mexico publishes no state variety trial for cilantro, so we won't invent a "best for New Mexico" list. Choose types rated to your USDA hardiness zone (5a-9a), and confirm winter survival and drainage against your own parcel.
New Mexico Cooperative Extension
For New Mexico-specific cultivar recommendations, planting calendars, and pest pressure for cilantro, the canonical source is NMSU Cooperative Extension Service. Their fact sheets carry the local trial data we can't generalize across 50 states.
Is Cilantro native to New Mexico?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Cilantro as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of New Mexico's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few New Mexico natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
Looking for plants that belong here? The New Mexico growing guide lists USDA-documented natives for the state.
Native-range data: USDA PLANTS Database state-distribution records, accessed 2026-07-01.
Common Questions About Growing Cilantro in New Mexico
When can I plant Cilantro in New Mexico?
New Mexico's last spring hard freeze (28°F) clears between Mar 31 and Apr 19, and the first fall hard freeze lands between Oct 22 and Nov 9 (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Cilantro is frost-tender — its killing temperature is 32°F (FAO ECOCROP — the point where cold damages growing tissue, not a winter-survival floor) — so wait two to three weeks past your site's last hard freeze, when light frost has also stopped, before planting out.
Can Cilantro mature before first frost in New Mexico?
Yes — Cilantro matures in 50 days (Growable Ground Plant Database), and New Mexico's dependable hard-freeze-free window runs 186 days (NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020), leaving 136 days of margin. Plant once the last hard freeze has passed — two to three weeks later for anything tender — and it ripens ahead of the first fall freeze.
What hardiness zone is Cilantro grown in across New Mexico?
New Mexico spans USDA hardiness zones 5a-9a (USDA ARS PHZM 2023). Cilantro carries a range of zones 2-11, so the overlap zones are where outdoor growing is most reliable.
How many frost-free days does a typical New Mexico site have?
A typical New Mexico site sees ~209 frost-free days per year (derived from NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS, 1991-2020). Cilantro needs 35+ frost-free days, so check whether your local microclimate runs above or below the state average before settling on a planting date. In cooler counties like Catron, the freeze-free season runs shorter than the state average, so verify your own county's window.
Is Cilantro native to New Mexico?
No — the USDA PLANTS Database lists Cilantro as introduced rather than native in the Lower 48, so it is not part of New Mexico's native flora. It grows here as a garden plant; pairing it with a few New Mexico natives keeps local pollinators fed too.
How should I amend the soil for Cilantro in New Mexico?
Cilantro tolerates pH 4-8 and well (dry spells) drainage (FAO ECOCROP). That is a 4-unit span, acid ground through alkaline, so pH is rarely what limits this plant on a New Mexico site — amend for drainage and organic matter first.
Will Cilantro actually grow on my specific land in New Mexico?
State-level zone + climate data is a sketch. A Growable Ground parcel report scores cilantro against your address's exact soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost-date data drawn from USDA SSURGO, NOAA, and PRISM — not state averages.
Check your specific parcel in New Mexico
State-level data is a sketch. Your Growable Ground report scores cilantro against your parcel's exact soil, sun, drainage, and frost data — not zone averages.
Three things about your lot that New Mexico cilantro averages can't show:
We read public map data around New Mexico — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources read at your address, not the New Mexico cilantro average
Explore More
Growing guides for cilantro
Analysis by the Growable Ground research team, grounded in USDA PLANTS, USDA NRCS SSURGO, NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020), and named Cooperative Extension sources. How we know →
Cite this dataset
Kirchick, M. (2026). Growable Ground Plant Database [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21435643
Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. DOI 10.5281/zenodo.21435643
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