Parsley

(Petroselinum crispum (Mill.), A. W. Hill, Umbelliferae).

Description: Biennial plant forming a basal rosette of leaves in the first year and in the second year a flowering stem, branched in the upper part.
Taproot stout, slightly branched, with few rootlets; up to 20cm (8in) long and 2cm (0.8in) thick.
Leaves of wild plants triangular 2-3-pinnate, the segments irregularly dentate.
By selection, the cultivated plants have highly dissected, much crisped leaves.
Flowers 10-20 in each umbel.
Fruits 2-3mm (0-07-0-1 in), grey-brown, ovoid, with strong odour.

Parts Used: Dried leaves; dried roots and fruits; the fresh leaves are used for flavouring.

Habitat and Collection: A native of eastern Mediterranean countries; now cultivated in all parts of the world from seed.
If the roots are to be collected, a special variety with thick roots is grown.
First-year leaves are collected in July-August; second-year leaves in spring and until the plant is in flower.
Roots are collected in October-November from plants of the first year.
Drying should be at less than 40 C (104 F).

Constituents and Action: Volatile oil is present in all parts of the plant, more in the fruits less in the leaves.
In small doses it stimulates the appetite and is diuretic.
In larger doses it increases the flow of blood to the mucosa, to the digestive tract and to the womb, stimulating the functioning of the latter.
In large doses it is poisonous, causing haemorrhages and vertigo.

Usage: As an infusion (1 table-spoonful of finely chopped leaves or 1 teaspoonful of finely chopped root or 1-2 knife-pointfuls of crushed fruits with 0.5 litre (1 pt) of water) as a diuretic for dropsy, inflammation of the kidneys and bladder.

It is also used to promote menstruation.

Caution: Large doses (intoxication) must be avoided, especially by pregnant women.

Cultivation: Parsley is one of the best known and most widely used herbs.
It is actually a biennial, but is usually cultivated as an annual because the first year leaves have the best flavour.

The crisp, tight foliage of the curly parsley is the most attractive variety to use fresh as a garnish, but the flat-leaved Italian parsley has a superior flavour when cooked.
The curly variety grows 10 to 12 inches tall and the Italian about 18 inches, although a dwarf variety is available.

In the second year, 2-foot-tall flower stalks appear, and their blossoms ripen into seeds.
Seeds collected from second year plants and dried thoroughly will keep for two or three years.

Parsley grows well in Zones 3-10.
It prefers full sun, but will tolerate light shade.
Plant in a rich soil amended with manure or compost.
The soil should be well-drained and the pH should be neutral to acid.

Sow seeds outdoors in the very early spring or in the late fall just before the soil freezes.
Gardeners in climates with hot summers will have better results planting in the autumn.
Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep, and be prepared for a wait since germination can take six to eight weeks.
It will go a little faster if seeds are soaked in lukewarm water for 24 hours before planting.
Keep the soil moist until the seeds have germinated.
Thin seedlings to three inches apart when they are two to three inches high.
Allow plants to spread until they touch, then pull and use every other plant.
Continue harvesting alternate plants until they stand a foot apart.

Parsley leaves can be harvested as soon as the plant is 6 inches tall.
Leaves can be refrigerated for use fresh, or they can be frozen.
Both varieties of parsley can be grown indoors as pot plants on a sunny windowsill.
The dark green foliage also looks nice planted among flowers.
Outdoor plants can be potted in late summer and brought indoors to grow on a cool, sunny window sill, where they will produce fresh leaves for harvesting all winter.
Dig deeply when potting your plants to get as much of the long taproot as possible.