What is Parsley?
The parsley plant, or Petroselinum crispum, is a biennial plant that is primarily grown as a culinary herb and is native to Europe. Its leaves have a strong aroma and scent that are often used in garnishing and cooking. Parsley is usually planted in the spring and takes its sweet time to grow fully around 70-90 days.
There are various cultivars in this plant species that produce by-products with slightly different but unique tastes and textures, each having its own separate use case and cuisine style.
See also: How to create and maintain herb gardens?
Parsley leaves: Key facts
| Common name | Parsley |
| Scientific name | Petroselinum crispum |
| Family | Apiaceae |
| Mature size | 9-12 in. tall, 9-12 in. wide |
| Sun exposure | Full sun |
| Soil type | Well drained, moist, loamy |
| Soil pH | 6.0-7.0 |
| Nativity | Europe |
| Toxicity | Large quantities toxic to people and pets |
Parsley leaves: Types of parsley
There are several different cultivars of parsley that are used in various cuisines and even grown in parts of the world other than Europe.
Curly parsley (common parsley):
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The curly variety is the most common form of parsley. This cultivar consists of traditional parsley that is easy to grow and maintain. This variant of the parsley family is a fast grower and doesn’t need a lot of tending to once it has grown out of the germination phase.
Flat leaf parsley:
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This cultivar of the parsley plant consists of flat leaves and tall stems that can grow up to 36 inches in height. It tends to have a stronger flavour than your traditional parsley plant. The titan cultivar is very popular and has deep green, serrated leaves.
Italian flat-leaf parsley
As the name suggests, this cultivar is very popular in Italy and is used extensively in Italian dishes like pasta and pizza.
Parsley leaves: Growing parsley plant
Parsley is a plant that is fairly easy to grow and care for. It can be grown both indoors as well as outdoors, given it is properly looked after. If planting in a container, plant it at a depth of no more than ¼ of an inch and sow the seeds with at least 6-10 inches of distance between them. If you’re just starting out with gardening, be mindful of your seeds’ location, as their germination is slow and can cause quite the trouble later on.
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Parsley leaves: Maintenance
Fertiliser
The parsley plant doesn’t need a lot of looking after. Feed it well with fertiliser at the beginning of the growing stage, and once mature, feed it every other month with an organic liquid fertiliser diluted to half strength. The parsley plant doesn’t need any sort of pruning to sustain.
Sunlight
Place the plant in a spot with lots of sunlight and warmth. The parsley plant loves sunlight and should be subjected to at least 5 hours of sunlight a day. If growing indoors, make sure it gets plenty of sunlight and warmth. The parsley plant does not do well with cold temperatures and needs to be protected from frosts.
In hotter climates, provide the parsley plant with 10-20 minutes of shade per day to ensure the optimal functioning of the plant. Sow the seeds in loamy, rich, and well-drained soil that has plenty of organic matter and is slightly acidic for best results.
Water
Water should be given daily. Parsley leaves love water but not too much of it. Water the plant enough so that the soil is moist but not soggy. Specifically speaking, 1-2 inches of water per week is recommended. It is strictly advised not to let the soil dry out. The parsley plant does not handle drought well and can die out.
Temperature
When it comes to temperature, the parsley plant can tolerate a wide spectrum of temperatures but thrives in a temperature range of 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit. It is advised to keep the temperature of the soil at a steady 70 degrees Fahrenheit when the seed is germinating.
Harvesting
Parsley can be harvested when it is around 6-7 inches tall for consumption. If you’re looking for visual signs, the parsley plant will look bushy enough. When harvesting, pinch or cut the outermost leaves. These are the ones suitable for consumption. Harvesting the matured leaves will give way for the younger leaves to grow and mature.
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For using parsley leaves, simply cut them and dry them in a cold place, then crumble them to make for a delicious garnishing.
Pests and diseases
The parsley isn’t particularly prone to any gravely harmful pests or diseases. It might come across the path of some fungal diseases like leaf spot, leaf blight, powdery mildew and damping off a few times throughout its lifetime.
As for pests, it is generally bothered by the presence of black-spotted butterfly caterpillars, which may harm the leaves initially by consuming them but leave them alone in a few days. This doesn’t harm any other part of the plant.
What are the health benefits of Parsley?
Parsley has a ton of benefits to its name, some of which are extremely beneficial when taken in the medicinal context. These uses and benefits are:
- Treatment of conditions like asthma, diarrhoea, inflammation, anaemia, bad breath, kidney stones, arthritis, bloating, acid reflux, constipation, and certain types of cancer.
- It is also known to be a good source of antioxidants
- Provides beneficial essential oils that help in the treatment of cancer.
- Consists of antibacterial and antifungal properties.
- Acts as a good source of vitamins A, K and C.
Parsley is also used as an ingredient or a garnish in a ton of food dishes and goes well with potatoes, chicken, soups, broths, rice etc.
It can also be used to make teas and juices, which act as a great source of flavonoids and antioxidants.
How to wash parsley
You need to wash parsley nicely to remove any bacteria, dirt that can reside on its leaves, unless it’s specifically mentioned that it’s pre-washed. To wash parsley, keep it under cold running water and shake the bunch so that all the leaves get washed. Alternatively, you can also soak it in a bowl of water and then gently sway to remove the dirt. While washing, remove the yellowish green leaves or brown stalks that are part of the bunch.
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How to chop parsley
Arrange the bunch of parsley on a chopping board and cut off from the portion where the stem becomes thick and large. Now to finely chop the parsley, hold your knife while keeping its tip on the parsley leaves. Next, place your hand on top of the knife and move with a fast up and down tempo and cut the parsley leaves. Note that lightly wash and pat dry the parsley and this will ensure a longer shelf life in the refrigerator.
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How to store parsley
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To store chopped parsley, take a container and line it with damp paper towel and place the chopped parsley in it and close the lid. With this you can store chopped parsley for more than 4 days.
To store whole parsley, keep it in a glass filled with water like a flower bouquet and put a cap of plastic or silicon bag on it and keep it in the fridge. Trim the stem once in 3 days and also change the water. With this method, you can store parsley for 2 weeks.
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FAQs
How is parsley used in Italian cuisine?
Parsley leaves are used as an ingredient and even a garnishing in most Italian dishes.
How long does parsley take to mature?
Parsley takes around 70-90 days after germination to offer mature leaves.
How do I distinguish parsley leaves from cilantro leaves?
While parsley leaves and cilantro certainly look similar, there are a few distinguishing features like leaf shape, leaf curl and flavour.
