PARSLEY

Parsleys are either biennial, or short-lived perennials. There are several types of cultivated parsley with different degrees of curliness.
The larger flat-leaved ones are very suited to home gardens as they are tasty both cooked, and fresh. The Hamburg-rooted parsley is grown in Europe for its fine-flavoured roots.

Plant Names
Botanical Family: 
UMBELLIFERAE
Common Name: 
PARSLEY
Genus: 
Petroselinum
Species: 
crispum
About the Name: 

petros means "rock" and selinon, parsley, in Greek; crispum is Latin for "curled".

Origins: 
Different ethno-botanists have parsley's origin ranging from northern Africa to southern Europe (Sardinia and Portugal).
Plant Description: 
Parsleys are either biennial, or short-lived perennials. There are several types of cultivated parsley with different degrees of curliness. The larger flat-leaved ones are very suited to home gardens as they are tasty both cooked, and fresh. The Hamburg-rooted parsley is grown in Europe for its fine-flavoured roots.
Variety Notes: 
In Stephen Facciola's Cornucopia (1990) we found more varieties that we would have ever guessed existed. There are twenty one in all including Banquet which is the best for garnishings and suitable for cool climates, Clivi which is intensely fragrant and finely indented, Curlina which is extremely finely curled and is ideal for growing in a pot, Green Velvet which has a piquant flavour, Neopolitan whose stalk may be blanched and used like celery, and Unicurl whose leaves curl inwards instead of outwards. Fern Leaf, Champion and Moss Curled are curly ones listed in Australian catalogues. There are a myriad of nameless varieties that are worthy of collection and many can be found in the gardens of different ethnic groups. Italians grow what is called a celery parsley, which is large and flavoursome, both in salads and cooked. Celpar and Giant of Catalogna are forms of this parsley. Look for plain-leafed parsley for use in tabouli. Parsley galore!

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