Although most people only think of a bushy green aromatic plant when they think of parsley, there is a surprisingly large variety of different species. Depending on the requirements, there are particularly robust, particularly early harvest-ready, or outstandingly aromatic varieties.
The small but subtle differences
A targeted selection from the seed dealer’s portfolio is particularly successful if you know the best-known and most popular varieties, including their characteristics. Here you will find both the names and basic properties of these popular classics.
Anyone who knows parsley will surely immediately think of an essential distinguishing feature of the parsley varieties: the shape of the leaves. A common distinction is made between two types of parsley:
- Flat leaf parsley
- Curly parsley
The smooth or curled shape of the leaves is visually perceptible. However, it is hardly known that these two main groups can also be subdivided into different varieties. There are numerous other types of parsley, but in Europe these types are among the most common in the garden and kitchen.
Flat leaf parsley
Giant d´Italia
- External appearance: large, dark green leaves
- Other properties: is considered to be particularly aromatic and intense in taste
Simple cut 2
- External appearance: particularly noticeable dark green leaf color, very strong development of the styles
- Other properties: very robust and insensitive to unfavorable growing conditions, particularly tasty
Giant of Naples
- External appearance: bushy growth with rather loose clumps
- Other characteristics: very early parsley variety that reaches harvest maturity well before other varieties
Curly parsley
Moss frill 2 evergreen
- External appearance: strongly curled leaves, dense growth
- Other properties: is considered insensitive and only tends to yellow the leaves very late and under particularly adverse circumstances
aphrodite
- Outward appearance: comparatively small, strongly herbaceous leaves, compact growth
- Other properties: aromatic parsley, very spicy in taste
Green pearl
- External appearance: tightly filled and robust leaves on strong stems
- Other properties: belongs to the moss frills, is considered uncomplicated and easy to grow and raise
Green Hedgehog
- Outward appearance: particularly dense growth with a compact growth habit
- Other properties: belongs to the moss frill, medium-early variety, so it can be used to supplement strongly pronounced earlier or later varieties
The Hundspetersilie
Dog parsley is definitely not one of the garden herbs. Nevertheless, this poisonous herb should be mentioned briefly here, as it is very similar in appearance to the parsley varieties with smooth leaves. Since often named differentiators such as
- Shiny underside of the leaf
- Strongly unpleasant odor
- Leaf structure and arrangement
can sometimes only be seen with a trained eye, you should initially exercise caution when harvesting parsley in the wild in unfamiliar locations. The best way to identify the dog parsley during the flowering period is by its bright, white flower umbels. Otherwise, the sap sample can still be used, i.e. the breaking of a style with subsequent consideration of the emerging sap. While this appears green with real parsley, a clearly recognizable, red liquid emerges from dog parsley.
Conclusion
The great similarity of the different types of parsley to one another is undisputed. Nevertheless, individual breeds differ in terms of harvest time, robustness and, last but not least, of course, taste and aroma. Although there is usually only plain “parsley” and a distinction is made between smooth or curly leaves, it is worth choosing the variety for cultivation in the home garden. A spicy and versatile herb ripens at the desired time, which skillfully refines and enriches numerous dishes.
