Parsley

Parsley
Parsley
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Apiales
Family:	Apiaceae
Genus:	Petroselinum
Species:	Petroselinum crispum, Petroselinum neapolitanum, Petroselinum crispum var. tuberosum

Parsley (Petroselinum) is a bright green biennial herb, often used as spice. It is common in Middle Eastern, European, and American cooking. In modern cooking, parsley is used for its leaf in much the same way as coriander (which is also known as Chinese parsley or cilantro), although parsley is perceived to have a milder flavor.

Etymology

The word parsley is a merger of the Old English petersilie (which is identical to the contemporary German word for parsley: Petersilie) and the Old French peresil, both derived from Middle Latin petrosilium, in turn from Latin petroselinum,^[1] which is the romanization of the Greek "πετροσέλινον" (petroselinon), "rock-parsley",^[2] from "πέτρα" (petra), "rock",^[3] + "σέλινον" (selinon), "parsley".^[4][5] The earliest attested form of the word selinon is the Mycenaean Greek se-ri-no, written in Linear B syllabic script.^[6]

Varieties

Two forms of parsley are used as herbs: curly leaf (P. crispum) and Italian, or flat leaf (P. neapolitanum). Curly leaf parsley is often used as a garnish. One of the compounds of the essential oil is apiol. The use of curly leaf parsley may be favored by some because it cannot be confused with poison hemlock, like flat leaf parsley or chervil. The produce code for parsley is 4899.^[7]

Root parsley

root parsley

Another type of parsley is grown as a root vegetable, as with hamburg root parsley (Petroselinum crispum var. tuberosum). This type of parsley produces much thicker roots than types cultivated for their leaves. Although little known in Britain and the United States, root parsley is very common in Central and Eastern European cuisine, used in soups and stews. Parsley grows best between 22 and 30 degrees Celsius (72 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit).

Though it looks similar to parsnip it tastes quite different. Parsnips are among the closest relatives of parsley in the Carrot or umbellifer Family of herbs. The similarity of the names is a coincidence, parsnip meaning "forked turnip"; it is not related to real turnips.

Cultivation

Soil. The carrot family grows best in well drained, even sandy, slightly acidic soil, rich in organic matter. This makes them easy to grow in containers. Potting soil with some added sand makes a good growing medium. Parsley grows well in deep pots, which help accommodate the long taproot.

Light. Six or more hours of sun are needed to do well. Parsley grown indoors also requires at least six hours of sunlight a day.

Plant. Parsley can be bought as a seedling from a nursery or grown from seed. Parsley's germination is notoriously difficult to achieve.^[8] Germination is inconsistent and may require 3–6 weeks.^[8] Furanocoumarins in parsley's seed coat may be responsible for parsley's problematic germination. These compounds may inhibit the germination of other seeds, allowing parsley to compete with nearby plants. However, parsley itself may be affected by the furanocoumarins. Soaking parsley seeds overnight before sowing shortens the germination period.^[8]

Water. Parsley requires relatively moist soil during establishment. Parsley can be allowed to dry a little more between watering once they get larger. Some people believe this makes their flavors stronger.

Fertilizer. Parsley gets very lush and full with some fertilizer. However, if you amended your soil at the start you don't need to purchase fertilizer. Plus, avoid fertilizing anything when frosts are a possibility. In early spring and you can apply a half strength general purpose fertilizer.

Harvest and Storage. Parsley loses much flavor when dried. Freezing the leaves retains more flavor.

Go Green. Parsley leaves are a vibrant green, and the plant is highly compact.

Parsley attracts winged wildlife. The swallowtail butterfly uses parsley as a host plant for its larvae. Caterpillars are black and green striped with yellow dots, and will feast upon parsley for two weeks before turning into butterflies. Bees also visit the blooms. Seed eaters such as the lesser goldfinch feed on the seed.

Companion plant

Parsley is widely used as a companion plant in gardens. Like many other members of the carrot family (umbellifers), it attracts predatory insects, including wasps and predatory flies to gardens, which then tend to protect plants nearby. For example, they are especially useful for protecting tomato plants as the wasps that kill tomato hornworms also eat nectar from parsley.

In cold climates, parsley is biennial, not blooming until its second year. It offers protection even in its first year as the strong scent of the parsley leaves appear to mingle with the tomato scent and confuse the search paradigms of the tomato moth.

Usage

Culinary use

In Central and Eastern Europe and in West Asia, many dishes are served with fresh green chopped parsley sprinkled on top. Green parsley is often used as a garnish. The fresh flavor of the green parsley goes extremely well with potato dishes (french fries, boiled buttered potatoes or mashed potato), with rice dishes (risotto or pilaf), with fish, fried chicken, lamb or goose, steaks, meat or vegetable stews^[9] (like beef bourguignon, goulash or chicken paprikash). In Southern and Central Europe, parsley is part of bouquet garni, a bundle of fresh herbs used to flavor stocks, soups, and sauces. Freshly chopped green parsley is used as a topping for soups like chicken soup, green salads or salads like Salade Olivier, on open sandwiches with cold cuts or pâtés. Parsley is a key ingredient in several West Asian salads, e.g., tabbouleh (the national dish of Lebanon, also called terchots by Armenians from Van, historic Armenia). Persillade is a mixture of chopped garlic and chopped parsley used in French cuisine. Gremolata is a traditional accompaniment to the Italian veal stew, ossobuco alla milanese, a mixture of parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. Parsley is the most abundantly used herb in the Spanish cuisine. Its preferred uses are in paste and dressing.

Root parsley is very common in Central and Eastern European cuisines, where it is used as soup vegetable in many soups and in most meat or vegetable stews and casseroles.

Medicinal uses

• Tea may be used as an enema.
• Chinese and German herbologists recommend parsley tea to help control high blood pressure.
• Cherokees used it as a tonic to strengthen the bladder.
• It is often used as an emmenagogue.
• Parsley also appears to increase diuresis by inhibiting the Na+/K+-ATPase pump in the kidney, thereby enhancing sodium and water excretion while increasing potassium re absorption. It is also valued as an aquaretic.
• When crushed and rubbed on the skin, parsley is said to reduce itching of mosquito bites.
• It's commonly believed that when chewed, parsley can freshen bad breath, especially from eating garlic. However, some people regard this as a myth - it is no more effective than chewing any other substance (such as chewing gum).^[10]
• The essential oil apiole found in all parts of parsley are a proven kidney stimulant.
• Parsley appears to enhance the body's absorption of manganese, which is important to help build bone. The absorption appears to be especially enhanced when parsley is eaten in conjunction with copper and zinc rich foods such as shellfish and organically grown whole grains.

Health risks

• Parsley should not be consumed as a drug or supplement by pregnant women. Parsley as an oil, root, leaf, or seed could lead to uterine stimulation and preterm labor.^[11]
• Parsley is high (1.70% by mass, [1]) in oxalic acid, a compound involved in the formation of kidney stones and a causal agent in some types of mineral deficiencies.
• Parsley oil contains furanocoumarins and psoralens which leads to extreme photosensitivity if used to excess, either topically or orally.^[12]
• Parsley seeds contain a high level of apiole oil and are a diuretic.

Gallery

Parsley Bush

Curled Parsley

Flat Parsley flower

Flat Parsley white flower

See also

• List of culinary herbs and spices
• List of culinary vegetables
• List of plants with edible leaves
• Apium virus Y

References

External links

• PLANTS Profile for Petroselinum crispum (parsley) at USDA
• How to Grow Parsley Information about planting, propagating and growing parsley.
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (Eleventh ed.). Cambridge University Press.