Parsley

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum), also called garden parsley, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to Greece, the Balkans, Algeria and Morocco and naturalized elsewhere in Europe and other suitable climates. Linnaeus identified Sardinia as its original wild habitat, from which cultivation spread to England by 1548, though its use there may date to the Anglo-Saxon period. It is widely grown as both an herb and a vegetable, with curly-leaf parsley often used as a garnish, flat-leaf parsley favored by chefs for its stronger flavor, and root parsley common in Central, Eastern and Southern European soups, stews and casseroles.