Parsley

Description

The parsley is a bi-annual Plante from 25 to 80 cm in height, very aromatic with crumpling, characteristic odor.

Stems, striated, and the sheets are glabrous (without hairs).

The sheets, shining green, are doubly divided, especially those of the base, the higher sheets having often only three narrow and lengthened lobes.

The Fleur S, of a greenish yellow color drawing on the white in full flowering, are grouped in Ombelle S made up including/understanding 8 to 20 rays. The ombellules are provided with a Invulcelle with many Bractée S.

The root lengthened of swivelling type is developed enough. It is yellowish, of strong and aromatic odor.

It is a plant with bi-annual development cycle.

The parsley with sheet punt can be confused with the Petite conium ( Aethusa cynapium ), toxic plant of the same family. The small conium resembles much parsley by its sheets, but is characterized some by reddish traces at the base from the stems and by its not very pleasant odor.

Its Graine S is poisonous for many small Oiseau X, of which the parakeet S.

Other species of the kind Petroselinum

Petroselinum segetum : Parsley of the harvests

Distribution

Plant spontaneous in the Asia of south-west and the North Africa, largely cultivated in all the parts of the world. One can find it in a state subspontané or naturalized that and there in the five continents.

Composition

It is a plant rich in essential oils of which apiole (also called parsley camphor, present in seeds), accompanied by Myristicine. It contains a Glucoside flavonic, the apiine or apioside, whose Aglycone is the Apigénine.

The sheets are rich in vitamins has and C.

Use

Here what a botanical and pharmaceutical dictionary says of the beginning of the eighteenth century:

" PARSLEY : is a vegetable and medicinal. (...) The Parsley is hot & desiccant, attenuating, aperitif, cleaning product, diuretic and hepatic. Its principal use is in the obstruction of the lung, the liver, spleen, the kidneys, of the bladder, the jaundice, the cachexy, calculation, the gravel, the suppression of urine & the months. (...) The Parsley sheets are resolvent & vulnerary: this is why one applies them with great success to the cuts so deep that they are; & on the contusions after them to have ruffled between the fingers, like also on the udders to make lose milk with the lately been confined women; they make solve the hot tumors; & especially contusions of the eyes. These widespread recent sheets on the water of the ponds or the fountains, recreate & delight sick fish. "

(Dom Nicolas Alexandre: Botanical & pharmaceutical dictionary…, Paris 1716)

Plant condiment

The fresh parsley is at the same time a Assaisonnement and a Garniture. Generally like condiment, it gets busy whole (for a Marinade) or chopped. It is used to decorate the boiled dishes of fish, or even of meats pulps. A fried parsley trimming (to let fry 2 minutes) accompanies the fried fish dishes, or other cracklings.

The sheets, rich in vitamins has and C are very employed, finely engraved like condiment, as well in the kitchens Eastern, European, as American average. The two parsley shapes are used: parsley with sheet curly or crisp, and parsley with sheet punt or Italian. Many people think that the parsley with sheet punt has a stronger savor. The parsley with curly sheets, often used for the decoration of the dishes, has the advantage of avoiding any confusion with the small conium. The parsley as well aromatizes the crudenesses and the salad S that the soups, the sauces, and the meat and vegetable dishes. The parsley is one of the components of the Bouquet furnished.

Vegetable

the parsley sheets play an important role in the Cuisine Levantine which uses them like vegetable and not only in condiment, in particular for the clothes industry of the Lebanese tabboulé.
Certaines varieties of parsley was selected for their edible root: the parsley with large root or parsley tuberous. Its fleshy root, with white flesh, of the size of that of the Carrot or the Parsnip, approximately 15 cm, is consumed like the Salsifis; it can be used in the Pot-au-feu or out of vegetable as accompaniment.
Of another varieties is cultivated for their coasts (Pétiole of the sheets): parsley at large coasts or parsley with sheets of Celery.

Medicinal plant

Plant registered with the French Pharmacopée. One employs the root like Diurétique and Apéritif, in the form of Infusion (of 50 with 100g/l). The sheets and the seed are used like Stimulant and Emménagogue, powders some with the amount of 2g, or out of syrup made with these sheets (two to three spoonfuls). It enters the composition of the Sirop of the five roots. One extracts the Apiol from the parsley gasoline. The sheets are employed in popular medicine like resolvent in external application (cataplasm against milky cloggings).

Culture of parsley

It is a plant of moderate Climat, which prefers the grounds loosened well and rich in Humus. It is to best sow near the dwelling, to facilitate the gathering of it.

The common or curly parsley sows March at August, in edge, or on a small surface which is reserved to him. It is recommended to make soak seeds in order to hasten the Germination as a preliminary; another easy way announced to facilitate its growth is to pass seeds between sandpaper to small grains, to use the wall of seed slightly. The seeds must be hidden from 1 to 2 cm, with a density of 1.25 to 1.50 g/m2 for a solid mass, and 0.2g/m in edge. The lifting of parsley seeds is very long and rather capricious, normally of about a month. The success of the culture of summer is conditioned by waterings.

It is necessary to count three months between sowing and the first harvest. The gathering of the sheets is made growth progressively.

It is a plant very sensitive to the frosts. There remains possible to have parsley during the winter: by recovering the feet by a frame, or a late sowing (July-August) tightens some, or by transferring a plant out of pot in a sheltered place. The parsley can be cultivated in a Persillère.

The second year, the stems go up quickly to seeds and the sheets become harder. One can delay this phenomenon by gripping the floral axes.

Principal enemies: the Slug S and the Escargot S. the Mouche of the carrot can also tackle the parsley cultures.

Conservation

At the end of the summer, the sheets can be gathered and left desiccate in the shade, in a hot place. They are ensuites preserved in a paper bag.

To use parsley thus desiccated, to let it soak half an hour in tepid water.

See too

External bonds

the Councils of culture of parsley in your garden
the parsley on www.passeportsante.net

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