Herb
Flat-Leaf (Italian) Parsley
Petroselinum crispum var. neapolitanum · Apiaceae (carrot/parsley family)
Also called: Italian Parsley, Flat-Leaf Parsley, Plain-Leaf Parsley
Flat-Leaf (Italian) Parsley (Petroselinum crispum var. neapolitanum) is a moderate-water herb well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun in cool months. Expect greenish-yellow umbels blooms Second spring.
Flat-Leaf (Italian) Parsley at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Full sun in cool months; benefits from afternoon shade as spring warms and through any summer carryover
- Mature size
- 12-18 in. tall, 12 in. wide (taller when flowering in second year)
- Growth rate
- Moderate (slow to germinate)
- Bloom
- Greenish-yellow umbels, Second spring (biennial); bolts with heat
- Cold hardiness
- Cold-hardy biennial grown as a cool-season annual; tolerates Tucson winter frosts well. Survives longer into warm weather than cilantro but declines and bolts in summer heat.
- Soil
- Fertile, well-drained soil rich in organic matter; tolerates Tucson's alkaline soils when amended with compost. Even, moisture-retentive soil is best.
- Native range
- Central and eastern Mediterranean region
- Best used as
- Culinary herb (more flavorful than curly parsley; sauces, tabbouleh, garnish, gremolata), Cool-season vegetable/herb-garden planting, Host plant for swallowtail butterflies, Pollinator plant when flowering
- Wildlife
- Important larval host plant for black/anise swallowtail butterflies; flowers attract beneficial insects.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic and safe for people, dogs, and cats in culinary amounts (very large quantities can be problematic for some animals).
How to grow Flat-Leaf (Italian) Parsley in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Keep soil consistently moist; water regularly and do not let it dry out. More forgiving than cilantro but still needs steady moisture for tender leaves.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Light to moderate feeder. Mix compost into the bed at planting and side-dress with a balanced or nitrogen-leaning fertilizer every 4-6 weeks to support continued leaf production.
Pruning & care
Harvest outer stems at the base regularly, leaving the central growing point; this prolongs production. Remove flower stalks in the second season to extend the leaf harvest.
Notes
Best planted as a cool-season crop in Tucson: sow or transplant September-October for fall/winter/spring harvest. Seeds germinate slowly (soak overnight to speed up). It can sometimes be nursed through summer with afternoon shade and steady water, but plan to replant each cool season.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension / Pima County Master Gardeners; thisistucson.com (UA cool-season herb guidance); Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder; ASPCA non-toxic plant list