History Ancient Greeks used parsley in funeral ceremonies, wreaths for winning athletes (believed Hercules had chosen parsley) Romans used parsley at orgies to cover up the smell of alcohol on the breath and to aid digestion By the Middle Ages, people began using parsley for its medicinal values (plague, asthma, dropsy, and jaundice)

It’s More Than a Garnish… Parsley, fresh 2.00 tbs 7.50 grams 2.70 calories NutrientAmount DV (%) Nutrient Density World's Healthiest Foods Rating vitamin K mcg excellent vitamin C9.97 mg excellent vitamin A IU excellent folate11.40 mcg good iron0.46 mg good

Vitamin-Rich Has more Vitamin C than an orange Vitamin A (Beta- Carotene) Several B Vitamins (Folic Acid) Calcium Iron

Health Benefits: Contains two types of unusual components: – volatile oil components-including myristicin, limonene, eugenol, and alpha-thujene – flavonoids-including apiin, apigenin, crisoeriol, and luteolin Volatile oils-particularly myristicin-have been shown to inhibit tumor formation in animal studies, and particularly, tumor formation in the lungs

The activity of parsley's volatile oils qualifies it as a "chemoprotective" food, and in particular, a food that can help neutralize particular types of carcinogens (like the benzopyrenes that are part of cigarette smoke and charcoal grill smoke) The flavonoids in parsley-especially luteolin-have been shown to function as antioxidants that combine with highly reactive oxygen-containing molecules (called oxygen radicals) and help prevent oxygen-based damage to cells Health Benefits Continued:

Growing Requirements: Full sun, at least 6 hours of light; may tolerate partial shade Well-drained soil, pH range Don’t let it dry out; water often in summer May be grown from seed (seedlings look like two blades of grass); soak seeds 24 hours in warm water before planting; keep moist (up to 6 weeks) [Legend that parsley goes to the devil seven times before it grows]

Hard to transplant – should be sown where it is to be grown Biennial, may reseed, likes our winters Good container plant, can be grown indoors Six plants, spaced 8” apart should supply enough parsley for the average family Growing Requirements Cont’d:

Host Plant for: Black Swallowtail Anise Swallowtail Swallowtail caterpillar feeding on parsley

Pests and Diseases: Symptoms Probable Cause Holes Eaten in Leaves Cabbage Loopers Crowns Tunneled, Leaves Damaged Carrot Weevils Leaves Eaten to Stems Parsleyworms Plants Rotted or Stunted Carrot Rust Fly Plants Stunted, Leaves Yellowed Nematodes Leaves Stippled, Yellowed Spider Mites Large Ragged Holes in Leaves Snails and Slugs Seedlings Chewed or Eaten Entirely Rabbits Crowns and Roots Mushy Crown Rot Small Yellow Specks on Leaves Septoria Leaf Spot Companion Planting: supposedly repels asparagus beetles

Harvesting: Snip off stalks close to the ground, starting with the outside stalks (this encourages new growth rather than just clipping the tops) Second year’s harvest is more bitter than first year’s harvest Once the plant has produced seed, it has completed its biennial cycle and will die May dry the leaves and store in an air-tight container May freeze the leaves in freezer bags or in ice cubes (use within one year)

Varieties: Common or Curly (Petroselinium crispum), form dense clumps, grow 8 – 14” tall Italian Flat-Leaf (P. neapolitanum), can grow 2 – 3 ft tall, stronger and sweeter flavor, more popular for cooking Hamburg (P. tuberosum), grown for its white, fleshy, parsnip-like roots Japanese (Cryptotaenia japonica), not commonly grown, bitter taste, looks like flat leaf

Culinary Uses: Garnish (Breath freshener) Gentle flavor Works with most food except sweets Fresh parsley should be washed right before using since it is highly fragile Fresh parsley should be kept in the refrigerator in a plastic bag. If the parsley is slightly wilted, either sprinkle it lightly with some water or wash it without completely drying it before storing in the refrigerator

Sources: dening/CulinaryHerbs/Parsley/ProblemsofParsley dspice&dbid=100 Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs, Claire Kowalchik and William H. Hylton, Editors, 1987, Rodale Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania