Parsley

Parsley is a very popular culinary herb that is available almost year-round. It grows in many countries, especially in regions with a temperate climate. In Europe, North America and parts of Asia parsley is cultivated both outdoors and in greenhouses. Because it is easy to grow, you can find it fresh in supermarkets, at weekly markets, in home gardens or even in a pot on the windowsill. Thanks to modern cultivation methods, parsley is available today in many forms: fresh as a bunch, in a pot, dried, frozen or as part of herb mixes.

When is parsley available?
Parsley is basically available year-round. In outdoor cultivation it is usually harvested from spring to autumn. In winter it often comes from greenhouses or is imported. Fresh bunches are particularly common between May and October. Frozen and dried parsley can be obtained at any time.

Origin and history
Parsley originates from the Mediterranean region. The ancient Greeks and Romans already knew it, used it as a culinary herb and sometimes for medicinal purposes. From there it spread throughout Europe. Today it is grown worldwide because it is easy to care for and enhances many dishes. It is very popular in home gardens, as it only needs a bright location, sufficient water and some patience. It is a biennial plant: in the first year it forms leaves and roots, in the second year it shoots up, flowers and produces seeds.

Main types and varieties
Parsley exists in several variants that differ in appearance, taste and use:

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a biennial umbellifer of the Apiaceae family and is among the most used culinary herbs worldwide. Botanically, a distinction is made between the flat-leaf form (var. neapolitanum), the curly-leaf form (var. crispum) and root parsley (var. tuberosum). Characteristic are the pinnate leaves with an intense green chlorophyll content and the fresh, slightly peppery scent reminiscent of celery and anise. The herb is used mainly as a leaf seasoning, while the root variety additionally serves as a soup vegetable. The plant prefers deep, humus-rich soils, neutral to slightly alkaline pH, with even moisture and a sunny to semi-shaded location.

Botany and morphology:
In the first growing year parsley forms a rosette of leaves and a spindle-shaped taproot; in the second year a branched inflorescence with typical umbels develops, bearing numerous small yellowish-green flowers. The fruit is a schizocarp (mericarp), rich in essential oils. The leaf tissue is gland-rich and shows a pronounced secretory canal system in which monoterpenes and phenylpropanoids accumulate. The curly form has strongly crinkled leaf margins with increased leaf surface area, which binds aromatic compounds and can be perceived sensorily as more intense.

Phytochemical composition:
Parsley is rich in vitamin C, vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) and vitamin A (as provitamin A/carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lutein). Significant secondary plant compounds are flavonoids (e.g. apigenin, luteolin, rutin), phenolic acids (caffeoyl- and feruloyl-derivatives) and essential oils. Leading substances of the essential oil include myristicin, apiol, 1,3,8-p-menthatriene (phellandrene), limonene and eugenol. Chlorophyll and carotenoids determine the color and act as antioxidants. The minerals