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Chervil
Habit (mature) · Kurt Stüber / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
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Chervil
Anthriscus cerefolium
A fast, fine-textured cool-season culinary annual in the carrot family (Apiaceae), native to the Middle East, Russia, and the Caucasus and now grown worldwide. NC State Extension describes an erect, spreading plant about 1-2 feet tall with light green, feathery, finely divided (tripinnate) leaves — like a more delicate parsley — and a mild aniseed scent. Small white five-petaled flowers open in saucer-shaped umbels 1-2 inches across in spring and summer. It is generally grown as an annual (occasionally biennial in milder areas), prefers cool weather in moist, well-drained soil, and is a classic component of French fines herbes, prized for a delicate flavor best used fresh.
Review: Source-backed
Edible
Container
Pollinator
Light
Full sun / Part shade
Water
Moderate water
Mature size
12-24" tall · 15" apart
Hardy in zones
Annual (biennial in mild winters); NC State lists no fixed USDA zone
Summer heat range
Cool-Warm
cool to warm summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
No
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A documented larval host for the Black swallowtail — caterpillars feed on its foliage before becoming the next generation.
Wildlife relationships
Cold hardiness
This plant is grown as an annual; hardiness zones don't apply.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/chervil
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 source-backed.
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
University extension service
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY-SA 3.0
Backs 1 field
Image
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
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