Curly Parsley
Petroselinum crispum — the frilly biennial that garnishes everything.
Origin
Section titled “Origin”The ruffled cultivar of common parsley, native to the central and eastern Mediterranean. A biennial: leaves the first year, flowers and seed the second — by then the leaves turn bitter.
Location
Section titled “Location”Bright, with a few hours of gentle direct sun, at 59–77 °F. Tolerates light frost but sulks in midsummer heat.
Watering
Section titled “Watering”Every 2 days; keep the soil evenly moist, never waterlogged. Half-strength balanced liquid feed every 4 weeks, March to October.
Pruning
Section titled “Pruning”Harvest from the outside in — new growth comes from the center of the crown, and cutting into it stalls the plant. A second-year plant bolts no matter what you cut, so a tired parsley is resown, not rescued.
Repotting
Section titled “Repotting”None — resow each spring instead. Give it a deep pot; the taproot goes further down than the frilly top suggests.
In the kitchen
Section titled “In the kitchen”Milder and less grassy than flat-leaf parsley, with a texture that holds up as a garnish. Chop it into potato dishes, eggs, and butter sauces, or use it as the base of a classic Frankfurter Grüne Soße. Add it at the end of cooking — heat flattens the flavor.