Chervil and parsley – They both belong to the umbelliferous plant family. They both look very similar. And yet there are plenty of differences that separate them from each other. Confusion was yesterday!
What are the differences between chervil and parsley?
Chervil and parsley differ in smell, taste, appearance of leaves, flowers and seeds. Chervil has an anise-like, sweet smell and taste, finer leaves, pure white flowers and narrow, elongated seeds. Parsley smells spicy, tastes hot, has larger leaves, yellowish flowers and small, crescent-shaped seeds.
The smell test
Imagine you are standing at a market stall with numerous herbs. You need chervil and are too proud to ask the seller. Now there are two herbs that could be chervil
You can easily distinguish chervil from flat-leaf parsley by smell. To do this, take a leaf and rub it with your fingers. Chervil has an aniseed to fennel-like and slightly sweet smell. Parsley smells spicy and peppery.
The Taste Test
A clear difference between chervil and parsley becomes apparent when it comes to taste. Chervil tastes sweet and, like its smell, is reminiscent of aniseed. The taste of parsley is distinctive and subtly spicy.
An eye for detail: The leaves
If you don't dare to crush or taste the leaves, take a closer look at the leaves. The leaves of chervil are fern-like and more delicate and finely toothed than those of parsley.
The flowers and seeds in comparison
If you grow chervil and parsley in your own garden, you will be able to enjoy the flowers if you don't cut the herbs in summer. Further differences between parsley and chervil become apparent here.
Both are umbelliferous plants. The flowers of parsley are yellowish. On the other hand, the flowers of the chervil are pure white. The petals of chervil resemble small hearts and are not connected to each other. The individual flowers of parsley appear much smaller and more inconspicuous. When sowing you will notice the following features:
- Chervil: black, elongated, extremely narrow
- Parsley: brownish, small, crescent-shaped
Similarities between both herbs
Parsley, like chervil, prefers to grow in a sunny location. Both herbs go perfectly with dishes like:
- Vegetable dishes
- Soups and stews
- Eggs
- Poultry
- Potatoes
- Fish
Tips & Tricks
If you grow chervil and also want to grow parsley, you should note that chervil does not like to share its territory with other plants. A generous planting distance is therefore important.
