Highlights
- Coriander is an annual herb that is also known as Chinese parsley, dhania or cilantro.
- Indian-Australian family from Melbourne claims to have grown the world’s tallest coriander plant
- At a height of 7 ft 7 inches, their backyard plant is set to beat the previous Guinness World Record of 7 ft 1 inch
Dalbir Maan who lives in Mickleham suburb in Melbourne’s north has succeeded in growing a coriander plant that is 7 inches tall, well above the average height of the traditional herb.
Coriander(dhania) is an annual herb that is used in many cuisines across the globe.
Most parts of this plant are edible with its fresh leaves and dried seeds often used in the Indian kitchen for its unique aroma and health properties.
Mr Maan who is passionate about gardening has also applied to register his accomplishment in the Asia Book of Records and Limca Book of Records, besides applying for a title in the Guinness Book of World Records - a global record-keeping body.
“It is set to be the tallest coriander plant in the world. I’ve sent entries with all the relevant proofs to get it registered at various platforms,” he said in an interview with SBS Punjabi.
The previous Guinness Book of World Records is of a 7 ft 1inch tall coriander plant held by Gopal Upreti from Uttarakhand in north India, as measured on 21 April 2020.
Mr Maan and his wife have been looking after the plant ever since they saw its potential for world recognition.
Source: Supplied by Mr Maan
“We were curious to see its unusual growth. It was an odd plant that grew very differently from the others. So we decided to ensure it kept growing through different seasons,” he said.
“This plant is quite resilient and what makes the growth even more significant is that we did not use any artificial techniques, or a polyhouse or any plastic covering to protect it from harsh weather conditions.”
Mr Maan claims he used organic farming techniques to see it flourish over the last few months.
“We did not use any artificial fertilisers but only a pack of cow manure to provide it with some extra nutrients. The plant belongs to a variety of Indian style desi dhania. ” he said.
Mr Maan said the only thing that he did differently was to give it some support and extra fencing as it continued to grow taller and stronger.
Mr and Mrs Maan have a passion for gardening. Source: Supplied by Mr Maan
“This is quite unique and definitely needs some recognition. Usually, coriander plants only grow up to a height of four to five feet but seeing it grow to a height of 7 ft 7 inches was very exciting to witness," he said.
With the onset of harsh summer conditions, Mr Maan has now started to preserve its seeds which he plans to use to grow more plants in the next winter.
To listen to the full interview, click here or on the player at the top of the page.
