High in Vitamins A and C, and iron. In addition to having a distinctive fresh flavor, parsley is also a favorite butterfly host for the black swallowtail butterfly. Technically biennial, plants often return for a second season and bolt with flower clusters followed by seeds.
Choose from curly-leafed variety and Italian flat leaf, which grows taller with glossy, dark-green leaves preferred by some cooks for a sweeter, more robust flavor. Grow extra for the butterflies!
Plant for parasitic wasps, hoverflies, tachinid flies, aphid midges and parasitic mini-wasps to keep whiteflies, mealybugs, scales, moth, aphid, beetles, caterpillars, and fly larvae under control in your garden. Parsley is a much-loved larval host to the black swallowtail butterfly, also called parsley worms!
Parsley’s culinary uses go far beyond that of a throw away garnish. In addition to it’s fresh flavor, it is highly nutritious.
Parsley was used by the ancients for bladder and kidney disease. Parsley leaf tea is sometimes prescribed by homeopathic practitioners for bladder problems, kidney stones, and urinary tract infections. The root has laxative properties. Parsley is also high in Vitamins A and C, and iron.