Petroselinum crispum

Petroselinum crispum (parsley) — the West's most-used culinary herb, native to the Mediterranean, in curled and flat-leaf (Italian) types. The botanical home of our parsley range.

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Petroselinum crispum — parsley

Petroselinum crispum is the botanical name for parsley, the most widely used culinary herb in the Western kitchen and a biennial in the carrot family (Apiaceae). It is the species behind our parsley range within the culinary herb collection.

History & origin

Parsley is native to the central and eastern Mediterranean. The ancient Greeks held it in high regard but, curiously, more for ceremony than the plate — it was associated with death and used in funeral wreaths and victory garlands at the Isthmian Games. It was the Romans who began eating parsley in earnest, and from there it spread through European cooking to become the indispensable herb it is today.

Its name reveals its botany: Petroselinum joins the Greek petros (“rock”) and selinon (“celery”) — “rock celery” — while crispum means “curled,” after the familiar tightly curled leaf.

Botanical characteristics

Grown as an annual or biennial, parsley forms a rosette of leaves in its first year and flowers in its second. There are two main kinds: tightly curled parsley, a garnish and salad favourite, and flat-leaved (French or Italian) parsley, with a stronger flavour prized for cooking. As a leafy herb it sits comfortably among our aromatic herbs and the wider herb seed range, and is as happy in pots as in the open ground.

Growing Petroselinum crispum from seed

Parsley is famously slow and erratic to germinate — the seed needs warmth and patience, and does best sown into moist, fertile soil and never allowed to dry out. Sow in spring and again in summer for a year-round supply, and pick regularly to keep fresh leaf coming. Our herb growing guide and herb sowing calendar cover sowing and care.

Ready to grow parsley? Browse the varieties or learn the basics first.

Related categories: Parsley · Culinary Herbs · Aromatic Herbs · Container Herbs · All Herb Seeds

At SeedsChoice, every order ships from Meppel, NL with fast, tracked EU delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Petroselinum crispum?
It is the botanical name for parsley, a biennial herb in the carrot family.

Where does parsley originate?
From the central and eastern Mediterranean.

What does the name mean?
It means “rock celery” (Greek petros and selinon), with crispum meaning “curled.”

Curled or flat-leaf parsley?
Curled is a garnish and salad favourite; flat-leaf (Italian) has a stronger flavour for cooking.

Why is parsley so slow to germinate?
It is naturally slow and erratic — keep the seed warm and the soil moist, and be patient.