My Herbal Wellbeing - Herbal Tea Database - Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)

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Parsley
Common Name	Parsley
Scientific Name	Petroselinum crispum
This widespread herb is also called Curly French Parsley, Carum, Rock Parsley, and Common Parsley. It is said that garlands of parsley were worn at Greek and Roman banquets to absorb the fumes of wine and to help prevent intoxication. Rich in chlorophyll content, parsley was also eaten after dining to remove onion and garlic odours, a use that is still popular today. Originally native to south-eastern Europe, parsley is now cultivated all over the world. One folk legend connects parsley with death-probably because parsley garlands were given as prizes for Greek and Roman public funeral games that honoured the deaths of important people. This ominous association continued into the Middle Ages, when it was believed parsley's wickedness could be overcome if the herb was sown on Good Friday under a rising moon. The tea is believed beneficial in the treatment of asthma, coughs, dropsy, menstrual difficulties, and urinary disorders.
Plant	Biennial, usually cultivated as an annual. Tufted, finely cut, bright green leaves with serrated or toothed edges rise from a taproot much like a thin carrot; the plant comes from the same family. Greenish-yellow or white flowers appear from June to August of the second year, followed by egg-shaped, greyish-brown seeds.
Height	6 to 12 inches.
Soil	Moist, fairly rich.
Exposure	Shade or partial sun.
Propagation	Seeds. Germination is slow and uncertain; folk legend has it that the seeds go to the Devil and back several times before they sprout. Germination is hastened if seeds are soaked in warm water for 24 hours before planting.
Care	Thin seedlings 6 to 8 inches apart. Keep plants well trimmed to encourage bushiness. It's supposed to be unlucky to transplant parsley from an old garden into a new one, but this may be because the taproot of parsley just doesn't transplant well.
Part used for Tea	Leaves harvested before the plants flower.
Taste	Refreshing, with a cooling taste like that of fresh parsley. Rich in vitamins A, B, C, and K.
How to Brew	BY INFUSION: 1 teaspoon of dried, or 3 teaspoons of fresh crushed leaves with 1 cup of water that has stopped boiling. Steep for 20 minutes. Don't boil the fresh leaves.