Habit (mature) - H. Zell / Wikimedia Commons - CC BY-SA 3.0
Limited coverage
Parsley
Petroselinum crispum
A biennial Mediterranean herb in the carrot family (Apiaceae) grown as an annual for its leaves. The garden 'parsley worm' — caterpillar of the black swallowtail butterfly (Papilio polyxenes) — feeds exclusively on Apiaceae foliage; planting parsley is among the simplest ways to host a multi-year swallowtail population. Flat-leaf (Italian) selections have stronger flavor than curly selections.
Edible
Pollinator
Light
Full sun / Part sun
Water
Consistent moisture
Mature size
10-18" tall · 8" apart
Hardy in zones
Biennial in zones 4a-9b (grown as annual elsewhere)
AHS heat range
1-11
Plant range authored in AHS heat-zone terms.
Native in Illinois
No
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Moisture retention
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A documented larval host for the Black swallowtail — specialist wildlife that depend on plants like this to reproduce.
Cold hardiness
Future
This plant is grown as an annual; hardiness zones don't apply.
Heat tolerance
Future
Heat tolerance values are location-based too: heat days today are observed at this site, and the 2050 value projects this same location under a future climate.
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Appears in collections
Collection · 8 plants
Food-forest layered edible
A vertically stacked edible polyculture: nut-bearing canopy, fruit-bearing understory, berry shrub layer, herbaceous layer, and groundcover for temperate eastern North America.
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). Parsley (Petroselinum crispum). Retrieved 2026, June 14, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/petroselinum-crispum
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited - 18 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