Plant · P-602

Parsley

Petroselinum crispum

Parsley is a biennial herb grown as a leaf crop, rich in iron, iodine and vitamin C, and a kitchen staple as a garnish, flavoring and core ingredient of bouquet garni. It repels pests from its neighbors and is a documented companion for roses, tomatoes, carrots, chives and asparagus, protecting some of them from carrot root fly and rose beetles. It is frost-tolerant and handles real cold well, so it belongs in the cool half of the year - long, hot summers are what actually limit it, and it does best with light shade and rich, moist soil where summers run hot. The plant is genuinely toxic in excess, especially as the essential oil, and is avoided in pregnancy and in kidney disease, though ordinary culinary amounts are not a concern.