Chervil: An Essential French Herb

Sometimes called French parsley, chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) is not only an attractive plant to grow in the garden, but also features a delicate, anise-type flavor that is used a lot in French cooking, principally in both fines herbes and bouquet garni.

Description and Cultivation

Chervil is a hardy annual that should be sowed directly into the soil; the plant doesn't do well with root disturbance. It does best with cool, slightly moist conditions, and the soil should be well-drained. Partial shade is best for chervil, and you should make sure that it is kept watered well or it will bolt early to flower (it goes to flower/seed quickly enough as it is). If you grow chervil in the same place, it will self seed to a large extent, or you can let part of the crop go to seed and collect them when dry for future plantings. Seeds can be started every couple of weeks for a continuous supply all summer.