Description
Petroselinum – Parsley –
There are 3 to 6 species of biennials herbs, in the Apiaceae family, in this genus. They occur in fallow fields and rocky slopes and waste ground in the Mediterranean and Europe. From thick rootstocks it sprouts solid, ridged stems bear triangular, pinnate to 3 pinnate, mid green leaves with toothed leaflets. Terminal, compound umbels of tiny, star shaped, white or greenish yellow flowers, sometimes tinged red, are produced in the second year, followed by light brown, small, ovoid fruits. P. crispum is grown as a culinary flavoring or garnish, and is widely naturalized in temperate regions, many cultivars are available. Parsley is usually grown as an annual, because the leaves become coaser in the second year. The tuberous rooted Hamburg parsley (P. Crispum var. tuberosum) is used as a root vegetable. Grow as an edging for herb, vegetable, or flowers gardens, where the frilly, bright green leaves make an attractive groundcover.
P. crispum – This hairless, clump forming biennial from Southern Europe grows 30-32″ tall and 24″ wide. It produces triangular, 3 pinnate, shiny, bright green leaves, divided into ovate, toothed segments each to 1 1/4″ long. In summer of the second year, bears tiny, star shaped, yellow green flowers in flat topped, terminal umbels, to 1 ½” across.
‘Afro’ – is upright, with tightly curled, dark green leaves
‘Champion Moss Curled’ – has finely cut, curled, dark green leaves
‘Clivi’ – grows 8″ tall and 12″ wide with dark green leaves
‘Crispum’ -is strongly flavored, with crinkled leaves
‘Dark’ – has closely curled, very dark green leaves, and is very tolerant of cold
‘Italian Plain Leaf’ – has deeply cut, flat dark green leaves
Var. neapolitanum – ‘French parsley – ‘Italian Parsley’ – is more commonly used and has leaves with flat segments and a stronger flavor
‘New Dark Green’ – is very compact and produces bright, emerald green leaves
‘Paramount’ – is vigorous and bears dense, tightly curled, very dark green leaves.
Var. tuberosum – ‘Hamburg parsley’ – has enlarged, edible roots.
Grow in fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun or partial shade, fertilize regularly.
Prone to stem rot, damping off, leaf spots, carrot fly larvae, Celery fly larvae, and black swallowtail larvae.
