Essential Branch

Spicy essential oil

Coriander seed

Coriandrum sativum

A close view of many round, ridged, pale tan coriander seeds filling the frame.
A close view of many round, ridged, pale tan coriander seeds filling the frame. Photo: Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 4.0

Coriander seed essential oil is steam distilled from the seeds of Coriandrum sativum, a plant in the Apiaceae family. Its aroma is sweet, herbaceous, spicy and woody with a slightly fruity edge, and it sits as a middle note in perfumery. People tend to choose it for warming blends, kitchen-style scents and perfume work, and it pairs well with turmeric, black pepper and cardamom. Tisserand and Young list no known hazards and set no skin maximum, though normal dilution still applies. Pregnancy use is rated as caution, and caution is also advised around cats. When buying, check the label says seed rather than leaf, as cilantro oil is a different product with a different scent.

Safety at a glance

  • Pregnancy Use with caution
  • Children From age 2
  • Dogs Generally well tolerated
  • Cats Use with caution
  • Sunlight Not phototoxic
  • On skin No published maximum

Reference

Botanical name Coriandrum sativum
Plant family Apiaceae
Plant part Seeds
Extraction steam distillation
Main origins Not given in the references we use
Aroma family Spicy
Note Middle note
Aroma Sweet, spicy and woody with a fruity lift
Main constituents linalool, alpha-pinene, gamma-terpinene, beta-pinene and p-cymene
Common uses warming, kitchen and perfume
Suggested maximum on skin No published maximum
Phototoxic No
Shelf life once opened 2 to 3 years
Pregnancy Use with caution
Children From age 2
Dogs Generally well tolerated
Cats Use with caution
Safety notes Tisserand and Young list no known hazards for coriander seed oil, and no skin limit is set. The leaf oil (cilantro) is a different product with a different scent. It is not on the IFPA pregnancy list, so pregnancy stays at caution. Pet poison lines do not flag it.

Blends well with

Sources

  1. Coriander Essential Oil, AromaWeb. Accessed October 26, 2026
  2. Turmeric Essential Oil, AromaWeb. Accessed October 26, 2026
  3. Black Pepper Essential Oil, AromaWeb. Accessed October 26, 2026
  4. Cardamom Essential Oil, AromaWeb. Accessed October 26, 2026
  5. Essential oil shelf life (Robert Tisserand's guideline), AromaWeb. Accessed October 26, 2026