Parsley

Parsley is a biennial herb commonly grown as an annual for its flavorful leaves. The first-year foliage forms a useful culinary harvest, while plants left to flower the following year produce greenish-yellow umbels that can feed black swallowtail caterpillars. [North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/petroselinum-crispum/) ## Growing conditions Grow parsley in full sun or light shade in rich, moist, well-drained soil. Harvest outer stalks as needed, leaving the central growth to continue producing leaves. The plant may reach about a foot in its first year and grow taller when it flowers in the second year; mature size varies with growing conditions. [North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/petroselinum-crispum/) ## Uses Use fresh leaves as a garnish or seasoning and include parsley in herb gardens, containers, and edible borders. It also provides a larval food source for black swallowtail butterflies when allowed to complete its life cycle. ## Maintenance Keep the soil evenly moist and harvest outer stems regularly. If growing for foliage, replace plants after flowering as leaf quality declines.