Double Curled Parsley Petroselinum

LATIN NAME: Petroselinum crispum

COMMON NAME: Double Curled Parsley

The double curled parsley ruffles the tight, curly leaves above the green crowns, the whole clump standing in the fine, neat look of the herb bed. The hardy, biennial herb carries the dense, tightly curled, dark-green, divided leaves in the compact mounds, and the small, greenish-yellow flowers in the flat-topped umbels, on the tall, branching stalks, through the early summer of the second year, one of the fine, quiet sights of the herb bed, drawing the bees, to be followed by the small, ribbed, grey-brown seeds. The ribbed seeds have a very long record as the fine, garnishing herbs of the old gardens, and the plant is a historic presence of the herb bed. It is a plant of the open, sunny, deep, rich, moist, well-drained ground.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The double curled parsley is a historic subject of the plant science, and the curled leaves keep showing up in the work on the garnish herbs. The way the small, greenish-yellow flowers form in the flat-topped umbels has been examined closely, and it keeps appearing in the studies of the garnish herbs, the divided leaves and the members of the carrot family. The ribbed seeds and the compact habit have also made it a fine study herb, and the double curled parsley is a regular subject of the work on the curled leaves of the temperate world.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

The double curled parsley is a fine, useful plant of the herb bed and the study collection. The dense, tightly curled, dark-green, divided leaves in the compact mounds carry the fine look of the herb bed, one of the fine, quiet sights of the herb bed, drawing the bees, and the ribbed seeds have a very long record as the fine, garnishing herbs of the old gardens, the crisp, curly sprigs coming to the plates, the salads and the steady practice of the old kitchens, while the small, greenish-yellow flowers in the flat-topped umbels, on the tall, branching stalks, open through the early summer of the second year, to be followed by the small, ribbed, grey-brown seeds. It is one of the fine choices for the herb bed, the garnish row and the study collection, and it has been written about in the horticultural and the culinary papers for the curled leaves and the very long history. It is a fine, useful plant of the open, sunny, deep, rich, moist, well-drained garden.

The double curled parsley seeds germinate easily in a rich, loamy mix kept moist. The young plants are compact and steady, and they enjoy the deep, rich ground of the herb bed.

To grow the double curled parsley from seed, sow the small, ribbed seeds singly into the shallow tray of rich, loamy mix, water gently, then keep the tray in a bright, open spot. The seedlings thread up within a couple of weeks, and they grow on steadily. With the sun and the deep, rich, moist ground, the curly crowns will ruffle over the year.

Uses: Culinary

Plant produces good yields of dense dark green finely crumpled closely curled leaves.

Dense dark green doubly curled leaves. Excellent for flavouring and garnishes. Suitable for home gardens and commercial production. Ht. 35cm/14"