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Petroselinum crispum

Common name: Parsley Family: Umbelliferae
Author: (Mill.)Nyman. ex A.W.Hill. Botanical references: 17, 200
Synonyms: Petroselinum sativum (Hoffm.), Petroselinum hortense (Hoffm.), Carum petroselinum ((L.)Benth.&Hook.), Apium petroselinum (L.)
Known Hazards: Parsley is said to contain the alleged 'psychotroph' myristicine[218]. Excessive contact with the plant can cause skin inflammation[274]. Although perfectly safe to eat and nutritious in amounts that are given in recipes, parsley is toxic in excess, especially when used as an essential oil[238].
Range: C. and S. Europe. Naturalized in Britain.
Habitat: Grassy waste places on walls and rocks[17], especially on limestone and near the coast[165].
Edibility Rating (1-5): 4Medicinal Rating (1-5):3

Other Possible Synonyms:From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
Apium crispum[G] Apium hortense[H] P. vulgare[G,P]
Other Common Names:From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
Common Parsley [L], Curled Parsley [H], Garden Parsley [L], Ma'Danos [E], Maydanoz [E], Moss Curled Parsley [H], Parsley [H,P,E,B], Perejil [E], Persil [E], Persil Vert [E], Tuinpeterselie [D],
Epithets:From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
crispum = curly;
Systematics:From a USDA Plants Database
Order: Apiales. Renamed to Apiaceae -- Carrot family
Other Range Info: From the Ethnobotany Database
Chile; Dominican Republic; Europe; France; Haiti; Iraq; Mexico; Paraguay; Spain; Turkey; Venezuela

Physical Characteristics

Biennial growing to 0.6m by 0.3m . It is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen from July to September. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife. We rate it 4/5 for edibility and 3/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds, Walls.

Edible Uses

Colouring; Leaves; Tea.

Leaves - raw or cooked[2, 4, 5, 9, 16, 21, 27]. Parsley is frequently used as a garnish or as a flavouring in salads and many cooked dishes, but has too strong a flavour to be eaten in quantity for most palates. It is an ingredient of the herb mix 'bouquet garni'[244]. The leaves should be harvested regularly in order to encourage fresh growth and get maximum yields[244]. The leaves are difficult to dry but are easily frozen[200]. For drying they require a well-ventilated room that receives long hours of sunlight - the leaves need to be quite crisp if they are to store[245]. Very rich in iron, iodine and magnesium, parsley is also a good source of other minerals and the vitamins A, B and C[201, 244].
The stems can be dried and ground and used as a food colouring[183].
A tea is made from the fresh or dried leaves, it is rich in vitamin C[21, 183].
An essential oil is obtained mainly from the leaves - it is used as a commercial food flavouring[46]. The leaves yields about 1% essential oil, whilst about 6% is obtained from the seed[7]. Some caution is advised on the use of this plant, especially the essential oil. See the notes above on toxicity.

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antidandruff; Antispasmodic; Aperient; Birthing aid; Cancer; Carminative; Digestive; Diuretic; Emmenagogue; Expectorant; Galactofuge; Kidney; Odontalgic; Ophthalmic; Poultice; Skin; Stings; Stomachic; Tonic.

Parsley is a commonly grown culinary and medicinal herb that is often used as a domestic medicine. The fresh leaves are highly nutritious and can be considered a natural vitamin and mineral supplement in their own right[254]. The plants prime use is as a diuretic where it is effective in ridding the body of stones and in treating jaundice, dropsy, cystitis etc[4, 238]. It is also a good detoxifier, helping the body to get rid of toxins via the urine and therefore helping in the treatment of a wide range of diseases such as rheumatism[254]. The seed is a safe herb at normal doses, but in excess it can have toxic effects[254]. Parsley should not be used by pregnant women because it is used to stimulate menstrual flow and can therefore provoke a miscarriage[7, 238].
All parts of the plant can be used medicinally, the root is the part most often used though the seeds have a stronger action. Parsley is antidandruff, antispasmodic, aperient, carminative, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, galactofuge, kidney, stomachic and tonic[4, 7, 9, 21, 165, 201, 238]. An infusion of the roots and seeds is taken after childbirth to promote lactation and help contract the uterus[238]. Parsley is also a mild laxative and is useful for treating anaemia and convalescents[244].
Caution is advised on the internal use of this herb, especially in the form of the essential oil. Excessive doses can cause liver and kidney damage, nerve inflammation and gastro-intestinal haemorrhage[238]. It should not be prescribed for pregnant women or people with kidney diseases[238].
A poultice of the leaves has been applied externally to soothe bites and stings[4, 7], it is also said to be of value in treating tumours of a cancerous nature[4]. It has been used to treat eye infections, whilst a wad of cotton soaked in the juice will relieve toothache or earache[244]. It is also said to prevent hair loss and to make freckles disappear[244].
If the leaves are kept close to the breasts of a nursing mother for a few days, the milk flow will cease[7].

We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.

Other Uses

Essential; Hair; Repellent.

A good companion plant, repelling insects from nearby plants[20, 54]. The juice is an effective mosquito repellent when it is rubbed into the skin and is also used to relieve the pain of stings and bites[7, 244].
An essential oil obtained from the plant is used in perfumeries for men[238].
An infusion of the leaves is an excellent rinse for dark hair and also helps in the treatment of dandruff[201].

Cultivation details

Prefers a moist well-drained soil in sun or partial shade[4, 16, 31, 37, 52, 200]. Prefers a good light soil that is not too light or acid[1], growing poorly in light acid soils[200].
Parsley is commonly cultivated for its edible leaves[46], there are many named varieties[183]. Three main groups of varieties have developed over a period of time and these have been grouped into subspecies as detailed below:-
P. crispum crispum. The curly leafed forms of parsley. This is the more ornamental form, especially when used as a dressing in salads, cooked meals etc. It also has a milder flavour. However the curly leaves tend to hold on to surface water and so they are more likely to contract fungal diseases in the winter.
P. crispum neapolitanum Danert. Italian parsley. This has flat, or plain leaves and is considered to have a stronger flavour. This group is also hardier, in part at least because the leaves can shed water easily.
P. crispum tuberosum (Bernh.)Crov. Hamburg parsley is a very distinct form with a swollen root that is used as a vegetable. The leaves are not of such good quality as the preceding forms, but can still be used as a flavouring.
Parsley is fairly winter-hardy, though it usually dies down in the cold weather, coming back into growth in early spring. By moving some plants into a protected area such as a greenhouse in the winter, or by putting a frame around them, leaves can usually be made available all winter[200].
Parsley has a long history of use. The ancient Greeks believed that it sprang from the blood of Archemorus, the forerunner of death, and so did not eat it but used it for making wreaths to adorn the dead[244]. The Romans wore garlands of it at feasts in the belief that it would prevent intoxication[244]. They kept it away from nursing mothers, however, believing that it could cause epilepsy in the infant[244].
Parsley is superficially similar to several poisonous species, including Fool's Parsley (Aethusa cynapium)[244]. Great care should be exercised if harvesting the plant from the wild[7, 244].
A good bee plant[18, 20, 201].
A good companion plant, especially for growing near roses, tomatoes, carrots, chives and asparagus[18, 20, 54, 201], giving them all added vigour and protection against certain pests, especially carrot root fly and rose beetles[201].

Propagation

Seed - Three sowings can provide a year round supply of fresh leaves.
The first sowing is made in a greenhouse in late winter. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in mid to late spring.
The second sowing is made outdoors in situ in the middle of spring and the third is also made in situ outdoors, this time in mid to late summer[1, 134].
Germination usually takes place in about 7 days at 25°c, though it can take 4 - 6 weeks[200]. Germination time can be reduced by pre-soaking the seed for 12 hours in hot water that is allowed to cool quickly, but be careful not to overdo the heat and cook the seed. The seed remains viable in normal storage for 2 - 3 years.

Scent

Seed: Fresh Crushed Dried
The seed is aromatic[45].
Leaves: Crushed
The leaves are aromatic.

Cultivars

'Dwarf Green'
This is said to be the best cultivar for use as a garnish[245]. It is a plant of compact habit with extremely dark-green densely curled leaves[245].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

References for Apium petroselinum (a possible synonym).
  • [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
References for Carum petroselinum (a possible synonym). References for Petroselinum hortense (a possible synonym). References for Petroselinum sativum (a possible synonym). References for petroselinum crispum (a possible synonym).

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[5] Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974 ISBN 0-00-219060-5
Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants.

[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.

[9] Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.

[16] Simons. New Vegetable Growers Handbook. Penguin 1977 ISBN 0-14-046-050-0
A good guide to growing vegetables in temperate areas, not entirely organic.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[18] Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979
Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.

[20] Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Fairly good.

[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.

[27] Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press ISBN 0-89815-041-8
A reprint of a nineteenth century classic, giving details of vegetable varieties. Not really that informative though.

[31] Brown. Shade Plants for Garden and Woodland.

[37] Thompson. B. The Gardener's Assistant. Blackie and Son. 1878
Excellent general but extensive guide to gardening practices in the 19th century. A very good section on fruits and vegetables with many little known species.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[52] Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn 1980
A good and comprehensive guide to temperate salad plants, with full organic details of cultivation.

[54] Hatfield. A. W. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd 1977 ISBN 0-584-10141-4
Interesting reading.

[134] Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.

[165] Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
An excellent small herbal.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2
A well produced and very readable book.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[244] Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990 ISBN 0-330-30725-8
Deals with all types of herbs including medicinal, culinary, scented and dye plants. Excellent photographs with quite good information on each plant.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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