Botanical Name: Petroselinum crispum | Family: Umbelliferae
Common name(s): Parsley
GROWING
- Biennial; herbaceous | Zones 5-8 | 12-20 inches tall | White, umbel flowers in early to midsummer in the second year
- Full sun; partial shade
HARVESTING
Aerial parts can be harvested any time. Harvest the roots the fall of the first year or spring of the second year.
PREPARATION / DOSAGE
Infusion: Pour 1 cup of boiling water onto 1-2 teaspoons of the leaves or root and let sit in a covered container for 5-10 minutes. Drink 3x/day.
Tincture: 10-30 drops, 3x/day.
Topically: use as a poultice for bruises. Apply chopped up herbs directly to the skin, wrap, and leave for an hour.
Food: Use as a culinary herb. It is a rich source of vitamin C and chlorophyll.
MEDICAL
Constituents: Essential oil (strongest in the seeds), alpha-pinene, apigenin, apiole, benzaldehyde, bergapten, beta-carotene, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, geraniol, glycolic acid, kaempferol, limonene, linalool, lutein, myristic acid, myristicin, naringenin, p-courmaric acid, psoralen, quercetin, rosmarinic acid, rutin, xanthotoxin, mucilage (in root), starch, sugar, calcium, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc, vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, C & E
Actions: Antirheumatic, aperient, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, emmenagogue (the seeds), expectorant, sedative
Uses: Urinary inflammation, fluid buildup, stimulating menstruation, mild laxative, relieving gas, rheumatism,
Cautions: do not use during pregnancy
CHINESE MEDICINE
- Root: Sweet, bland, neutral
- Leaves: Spicy
SOURCES
- Homegrown Herbs, Tammi Hartung
- The Way of Herbs, Michael Tierra
- Holistic Herbal, David Hoffman
- Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
Did you know parsley was a great breath freshener? Just grab a few leaves and chew them up. I knew this, but I didn’t know any of the other stuff I just learned while researching this post!
