Petroselinum crispum (Miller) A.W.Hill
Garden Parsley
NOMENCLATURE
Petroselenium ; from Greek, _____________ rock celery, from : stone.
crispum : wavy, crisped, crested
Parsley : anglosization of Petroselinum
PREVIOUS NAMES : P. sativum (Hoffm) Carum petroselinum (L) Bentham.
Apium petroselinum (L) Apium hortense. Petroselinum lativum (Hoffm).
OTHER NAMES : petersylinge, persely, persele, periine. Persil, (France, Germany).
Prezzeniolo, (Italy). Perejil, (Spain). Petersilie, (Dutch). Krupersi lie, persi lie, (Danish).
Maidanos, (Greek). Fetroshka, (Russia). Petersilj, (Yug).
APhotoflora Picture Link to Petroselinum crispum
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
TYPE : stout erect glabourous biennial. Hs.
AROMA: clean, pungent smell when crushed. ROOTS : tap root, stout, fusiform.
STEMS: terete, solid, striate, branches ascending, strict.
Remains of sheathing petioles at base. HEIGHT : 30-75 cm.
UMBELS : compound. 2-5cm diam. Flat topped. Rays 8-20, 0.3-5cm, smooth, subequal.
Peduncle > than rays, terminal hermaphrodite, lateral male and hermaphrodite, the later male.
LEAVES : deltate. 3-pinnate, bright green, shiny segments 1-3cm, 4-12 pairs, ovate in
outline, cuneate at base, toothed or 3-fid often strongly crispate in cultivated forms.
Petiole long, sheathing near base. Upper cauline leaves small, 1-2 pinnate, short sheathing
broadly scarious petioles, often ternate Cotyledons abruptly contracted into a petiole.
BRACTS: 1-3 erect, entire or 2-3 lobed with a broad sheath-like lower part with hyaline
margins. Bracteoles 5-8, linear, oblong to ovate-cuspidate, often with hyaline margins.
FLOWERS : yellowish. Calyx teeth 0, petals scarcely notched with a small
inflexed point. Styles forming stylopodium. Pollination by Diptera. Fl. 6-8.
FRUIT : 2-2.5mm, ovoid to ellipsoid, laterally compressed, smooth. Commisure narrow.
Carpels with 5 slender low ridges. Carpophore present. Vittae solitary in furrows.
Pedicels 2-4mm, rather stout. Styles as > as stylopodium, recurved &
appressed. Stigma a small knob. 2n=22*.
HABITAT : grassy places, on walls, rocks, hedgerows.
DISTRIBUTION : introduced as garden plant. Origin uncertain, naturalised.
Scattered through the British Isles N. to Fife. Naturalised in all temperate regions.
Native of S.E. Europe, Sardinia.
BSBI Distribution Map for Petroselinum crispum (UK)
VARIETY : Var. tuberosum.
CULTIVARS : ‘Hamburgh Parley’ ‘Moss Curled’.
MEDICINAL USES
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS : roots : apiin, volatile oil: apoil, obtained by Dr. Joret in 1849,
starch, mucilage, sugar, aplin. Leaves : myristican, Vitamin A & C. Seed : volatile oil
2.6% containing terpenes & apiol, fixed oil, resin, apiin, mucilage, ash.
EFFECT: diuretic, relaxes spasms, anti-inflammatory;
clears toxins, stimulates digestion & uterus.
PARTS : roots, seeds, leaves.
APPLICATION: flatulence, dropsy, menstrual complaints, oedema, cystitis, prostatis,
kidney stones, indigestion, anorexia, anaemia, arthritis, rheumatism : Infusion 1-2 tspn
root/leaves per cup, stand 5-10 min. 3 times day. Excess causes abortion, liver &
kidney damage, nerve inflammation, haemorrhage
HISTORICAL MEDICINAL USES
Culpepper : Comfortable to stomach good for wind, removes obstructions from liver & spleen,
falling sickness. Seed for stones, leaves for inflamed eyes. Juice in ears with wine for pain.
Francis Bacon, “Roots boiled in ale cast forth venom or poison.
Turner: "If thrown in fishponds it will heal the fish therein."
Carminative, tonic, aperient diuretic. Strong root decoction root in gravel, stone, congestion
of kidneys; dropsy, jaundice. Apiol from seeds emmenagouge. Decoction of bruised seeds
for plague & intermittent fever. In France scrofulous swellings treated with parsley &
pounded snails. Bruised leaves for tumours. Poultice of leaves for bites & stings of
poisonous insects. Disorders of digestive system. Parsley water for wind in children.
Seeds cure for baldness. Chewed after drinking alcohol disguises smell. Infused with
water collected in a thunderstorm strengthened the eye.
EDIBLE USES
Excellent source of Vitamin C. Fresh or dried for garnishing & flavouring omelettes,
stuffing, sauces, rissoles, salads, soups, fish or meat dishes. 2 year old roots & leaves
dried for parsley tea. Mixed with other herbs for bouquet garni. Side dish in Jewish Passover
feast. Rabbits, hares & sheep relish it. Fatal poison to small birds & parrots. Do not
confuse with Anthriscus cynapium, which has an unpleasant odour.
Flat leaved variety has a stronger flavour. Var. tuberosum, Turnip Rooted Parsley,
roots flavour of celariac. 'Hamburgh Parsley' favourite in Germany, roots, eaten.
Sheep parsley varieties mixed feed mix or fodder.
Ancient Greek warriors fed chariot horses it. Introduced by Romans as culinary herb.
Popular again in Middle Ages. Cultivated variety grown in Britain from l6thC. -
Timbs : "Charlemagne, after eating cheese containing Parsley seed, so enjoyed it,
had two cases a year sent to Aix La Chapelle."
Shakespear: '‘The Taming Of The Shrew’
“. .a wench married in an afternoon, as she went to the garden for parsley to stuff a rabbit.”
Henry VIII used it as accompaniment to meat & fish.
Russell. 'Book Of Nature': Quinces and Pear syrup
with Parsley roots are right to begin, your meal.
GARDEN USES
Well worked good soil, partial shade, sow through summer.
OTHER USES
Stems dried & powdered for culinary colouring & dyeing. Oil for men’s perfume.
FOLKLORE
Ancient Greece : sprung from blood of hero Archemorus. Dedicated to Persephone,
daughter of Zeus & Demeter. Wreaths adorned tombs of dead. Used it as garlands for
victors in the Olympic & Isthmian games. Dedicated later to St. Peter.
Sayings : “Welsh Parsley is good physic.” Welsh Parsley : gallows rope.
"To be in need of Parsley." : signifies dangerously ill, & not expected to recover.
Should be grown from seed on a Good Friday. Slow & patchy germination due to fact that
it goes 9 times to the devil & back, the devil likes it so much, he keeps some. In E. Anglia,
if anyone other than the mistress of the house plants seeds they will become pregnant,
hence saying, “Parsley flourishes where the missus is master.” You invited disaster if
you transplanted it. Never cut Parsley when you are in love or your lover will die. To
speak a persons name while pickling it, caused their death in seven days. Bad luck to give
away Parsley, but to help yourself was ok. Saying: “Only an honest/wicked man can
grow parsley.” Greek gardens were often bordered with Parsley & Rue, hence saying,
when gardens are in the planning stage, “We are only in the Parsely & Rue.” Bad luck to
move to a house with no Parsley.
Plant of Mercury. Birthday flower for 30 October.
Symbolic of victory, death, feasting, fickleness.
EXTERNAL LINKS FOR Petroselinum crispum
These links to trusted websites and institutions may provide in depth or additional information regards cultivation, chemistry, edibility, images etc. for the species. Links last updated Aug 2012.
Wikipedia (EU) Plants For a Future (UK) Bio Info (UK)
Nat Center for Bio Tech Info (USA) Global Info Hub on Int Medicine APHOTOFLORA (UK) Center for New Crops & Plant Products (USA) Farming & Agri Org of UN (USA)
Hub Pages Blog (USA) Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages (AUSTRIA)
A Modern Herbal. M. Grieve (UK) Medicinal Herb Info (USA)
'Online Guide To Umbelliferae Of The British Isles' Compiled By J.M.Burton Copyright 2002
