Curly Parsley
Triple Moss Curled Parsley is an heirloom annual herb that earned its name from the extraordinarily fine, moss-like texture of its deeply frilled leaves. Growing 12 to 14 inches tall and reaching harvest in just 70 to 79 days, this open-pollinated cultivar thrives across hardiness zones 3 through 9 and adapts beautifully to containers, raised beds, or garden plots. The vibrant green foliage is as ornamental as it is culinary, bringing both visual appeal and fresh flavor to your kitchen.

Photo © True Leaf Market
Full Sun
Moderate
3-9
14in H x ?in W
Annual, Biennial
High
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The leaves of Triple Moss Curled Parsley are exceptionally fine and intricately curled, creating an almost fern-like texture that looks as good in a decorative pot as it does on a dinner plate. Its compact upright growth keeps it manageable in tight spaces, while the ornamental form makes it equally at home in ornamental borders or herb gardens. The subtle, fresh flavor combines with excellent cold tolerance, allowing you to harvest well into cooler seasons across most of North America.
Triple Moss Curled Parsley is valued as a fresh culinary herb, perfect for adding texture and subtle flavor to salads, soups, sauces, and finished dishes where its ornamental curls remain visible. The compact form and beautiful foliage make it equally suited to decorative potting, where it can serve as both a functional herb and an attractive houseplant or patio specimen. Its cold tolerance extends the harvest season, allowing fresh parsley through mild winters in temperate regions.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost in seed trays or small pots. Maintain soil temperature between 50 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit for germination, which typically takes 14 to 21 days. Keep soil moist but not waterlogged. Transplant seedlings outdoors after the danger of heavy frost has passed and plants have developed true leaves.
Transplant hardened-off seedlings outdoors after the last frost date in your area. Space plants 8 inches apart, with rows 12 inches apart. Parsley tolerates cooler spring soil and can handle light frost, so transplanting can begin earlier than many tender herbs. Water gently after transplanting to settle soil around roots.
Direct sow seeds in spring after the last frost date or in late summer for a fall crop. Sow seeds directly into garden soil or container mix, keeping the area consistently moist until seedlings emerge. Thin seedlings to 8 inches apart once they develop true leaves.
Begin harvesting Triple Moss Curled Parsley once plants are well-established, typically 70 to 79 days after sowing. Pinch or cut the outer stems and leaves first, working toward the center of the plant. Harvest in the morning after dew has dried for the best flavor and texture. Continuous harvesting of outer growth encourages the plant to remain productive and bushy throughout the season. The plant's frost tolerance means you can continue harvesting light frosts in fall and early winter in many regions.
Pinch or harvest outer stems regularly to encourage bushier, more compact growth and to prevent flowering. Remove any yellowed or damaged outer leaves to maintain plant vigor and appearance.
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“Triple Moss Curled Parsley is an open-pollinated heirloom variety, part of the broader Petroselinum crispum family that has been cultivated and refined through generations of seed saving. Its development reflects centuries of horticultural selection for increasingly fine leaf texture and curling, resulting in the 'triple moss' designation that distinguishes it from simpler curled forms. The variety represents the kind of heritage germplasm that home gardeners and seed savers have preserved and passed forward, maintaining genetic diversity in our herb gardens.”