Plant Library

Other Names:  French Parsley, Garden Chervil

Description:

A cool weather crop that makes a great addition to herb gardens, containers or garden beds; mainly used to season mild flavored dishes, this variety produces a faint licorice or anise seed flavor; will bolt in hot conditions; self-seeding

Edible Qualities

Chervil is a perennial herb that is typically grown for its edible qualities. The deeply cut ferny compound green leaves can be harvested at any time in the season. The leaves have a mild taste.

The leaves are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Cooking
• Drying
• Seasoning

Features & Attributes

Chervil has white flowers at the ends of the stems from late spring to mid summer. Its deeply cut ferny compound leaves remain green in color throughout the season. The deep purple stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.

This is an herbaceous perennial herb with an upright spreading habit of growth. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect. This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep. Trim off the flower heads after they fade and die to encourage more blooms late into the season. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Self-Seeding

Aside from its primary use as an edible, Chervil is sutiable for the following landscape applications;

• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Herb Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Chervil will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 3 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant is typically grown in a designated herb garden. It does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. This plant should not require much in the way of fertilizing once established, although it may appreciate a shot of general-purpose fertilizer from time to time early in the growing season. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.

Chervil is a good choice for the edible garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.