Italian Parsley Dark Green
Petroselinum neapolitanum
Heirloom
80 Days
Deeply cut, flat leaves on tall stems with beautiful green color makes this the perfect herb for appearance and aromatic flavor. This plant is perfect for drying in addition to fresh use in almost any dish. Grow outdoors or inside and have fresh parsley year round! Grows well in window boxes, containers and even makes a perfect addition to a flower bed or border garden.
Soak seeds overnight and sow indoors 10-12 weeks before last frost then transplant outdoors. If growing indoors seed can be planted anytime.



Fun Facts:
Romans did not eat parsley but wore garlands of parsley on their heads during feasts – they believed it would keep them from becoming intoxicated
In a Roman wedding, wreaths of parsley were given to protect against evil spirits
Pliny (23 – 79 AD) mentioned parsley as a cure for ailing fish and listed it as a popular flavoring for broths and sauces
In Tudor times parsley was thought to be a remedy for baldness
The botanical name Petroselinum comes from the Greek word for stone because it was found growing on rocky hillsides
Parsley is mentioned as one of the plants in the gardens of Charlemagne and Catherine de Medici
She brought it back to France from its native Italy
King Henry VIII loved parsley in a sauce poured over roasted rabbit


How to harvest and store your parsley

The essential oils of the plant are at their peak early in the morning making this the perfect time for harvest mature leaves. While harvesting pinch back the growing tip of the plants which will stimulate branching and make a fuller more bushy plant. Basil leaves can be used fresh or dried. Another method of storage is to grind them up in a food processor and place in ice cube trays with a little water and freeze. Once frozen they can be removed to freezer bags and used for that “fresh” basil taste anytime of the year. Leaves can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.