parsley

Scientific name: Petroselinum crispum
Petroselinum crispum

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USDA hardiness zones:
-

This is the most popular herb of culinary traditions around the glob. Because it is used ubiquitously in so many different types of dishes and traditions, there is an expression in Italy: "It's everywhere - just like parsley!". Because it is so common, it is often taken for granted and relegated to a role only as garnish.

This biennial herb, while known as a garnish, has great value as a source of iron and vitamins A,C, and the blood tonic vitamin K, with lots of chlorophyll. Curly leaf parsley is the common form used for garnishes but flat-leaved or Italian pars... more »

Parsley doesn't mind cool weather, so start your seeds 2 to 3 weeks before the last frost. Seeds germinate slowly so keep the bed weed-free while waiting for seedlings to appear. Thin to 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm). Plants like consistent summer water. Harvest leaves as needed, starting at the outside of the plants.

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Gardens with this plant

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Groundskeeper replied almost 3 years ago
Parsley is the most widely grown herb in the world. Minced and cooked, it’s vital to sauces and stews. Minced and raw, it flecks fish, meat, and cooked vegetables with color and is part of hummus and other Middle Eastern dips. Parsley  is a biennial. You can pick leaves the first year, even from a young plant, and well into the second year before the plant flowers and stops growing. It’s good to plant a replacement early in the second year. If you make succession a practice, you will always have parsley.
Groundskeeper replied almost 3 years ago
Parsley is not just edible. To me, it’s ornamental too. When mature it looks like a fountain. Its color is a notably dark green that stands out among the usual mid-greens of a garden. The varieties with curled leaves have a soft texture when seen at a distance, good for pairing with coarser leaves.  Grow it among irises, lilies and hostas for the contrast of shape, color,  and texture. I wonder what it would look like alongside a small blue grass like ‘Elijah Blue?” Or in a container with flowering annuals?

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