Flat Italian Parsley

• Type: annual
• Planting time: spring, fall
• Features: flat, green leaves are easy to chop
• Height: 12 inches
• Light: sun to part shade
• Soil: light, well drained
• Spacing: 15 inches
• Plant Size: 1 foot tall
• Garden use: containers, flower and herb beds
• Culinary use: garnish, seasoning, salads

This Italian flat-leafed parsley has, of course, flat leaves, which distinguish it from the better-known curly-leafed parsley. At first the foliage might be easily confused with cilantro. However, its flavor is distinctly parsley, and it is favored for its deep flavor, which some say holds up better in cooking than curly parsley. It is popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. Easy to chop, the nutritious flat leaves are high in iron and in vitamins A, C, and E. A high chlorophyll content makes it a natural breath sweetener, too.

This is a great plant for containers, especially for fall and winter in zone 7 and south. Of course, you can also use it in vegetable and herb beds. In a flower bed it makes a nice, green leafy companion to small flowers such as pansies. It is also more tolerant of hot weather than curly parsley, which can struggle during the peak of summer.

Some Bonnie Plants varieties may not be available at your local stores, as we select and sell varieties best suited to the growing conditions in each region.