Parsley is the most popular herb in Germany. There is hardly a hearty dish or salad that can do without parsley. But did you know that parsley contains toxins? Worth knowing about the origin and cultivation of parsley.

Facts about parsley

  • Botanical name: Petroselinum crispum
  • Origin: Mediterranean
  • Plant Family: Umbelliferae
  • Popular names: Peterling, Peterli, Silk
  • Age: Biennial plant
  • Leaves: Dark to light green, smooth or curly
  • Flowers: yellow-green
  • Flowering period: June - July
  • Harvest time: All year round until flowering
  • Use: spice and medicinal plant
  • Location: window sill, balcony, open ground

Tips for planting parsley

Parsley is a bit sensitive at first. Due to its Mediterranean origin, it germinates best at higher temperatures.

It does not tolerate direct sunlight, nor does it get waterlogged.

Parsley is not suitable for planting in a herb spiral, as the soil has to be changed with each new planting.

How to properly care for parsley

Once the parsley has found a favorable location, it needs little care.

Caution is advised when watering, as the plants do not tolerate too much moisture and then not grow, but die.

You should also be careful with fertilizing, as parsley does not tolerate fresh organic fertilizer.

use of parsley

The leaves of the parsley are most often used raw as a spice for potatoes, salads and much more.

Its use as a medicinal herb is less well known today. Parsley can be used as a tea for urinary tract problems.

Why is parsley poisonous?

The poisonous essential oil Apiol accumulates in the leaves but even more so in the seeds. It causes the muscles of the digestive organs and uterus to contract.

Once the plant flowers, the leaves must not be eaten. The parsley should then be discarded.

Pregnant women are generally advised not to eat parsley. The seeds were even used in the past as a means of terminating pregnancy.

tips and tricks

Originally, parsley had basically smooth leaves. However, since these looked very similar to the very poisonous dog parsley and severe poisoning occurred, monks bred curly and moss-curled varieties. These are not easily confused with the smooth-leaved, poisonous herb.

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Category:

Vegetable garden