PlantFiles: Chervil
Anthriscus cerefolium

In my climate I grow this plant in Fall and Winter. I make my famous Chervil soup with it, I can't find this herb in the stores so I grow it myself.

It is easy to grow, fast and lovely.
As soon as the weather gets warmer it bolts though, and then the leaves aren't as flavorful anymore.

Since I didn't follow instructions to plant in Fall, Chervil had a rough start in my garden. In general, I had a low germination rate, in two different locations in the garden. Then, the ones that did grow apparently got too much sun, so that they bolted while still at a diminutive size. I sowed in Cilantro with it later, which is doing much better. Researching further, Chervil likes cool weather, hence sow in Fall, and sure enough I had a lovely self seeded bounty in November, which has stayed evergreen throughout our winter. A possibility for inclusion in the "cover crop" category??

Looks like parsley only smaller, more lacy, paler green and has a lovely faint flavor of anise. Great in salads. Called for in French recipes. Reseeds freely. I get a crop in early spring and late summer. When I was in France one year in early June, I found it frequently in salads in restaurants.
Reseeds itself if allowed to go to seed.

Such a lacy, daintly little plant that seeds itself freely. I love it, and so do my pet rabbits!

It resents transplanting.

In zone 9 grows best in partial shade.
Makes a wonderfull chervil and potato soup, quite European, if you need recipe, just ask!
Good with eggs, vegetables, fish or just plain garnish.

Chervil is one of the French 'fines herbes'. The seed must be planted where it is to grow, as transplanting causes it to bolt. If the plant isn't well-established, it will not set viable seed.

Chervil grows best in cool weather; late-summer sowings produce enough herbs to harvest all winter, until summer causes flowering.

Fresh chervil can be stored in vinegar to produce a flavor-suffused herbal vinegar suitable for fresh use or cooking.

PEST AND DISEASE PREVENTION: Keep mulch away from plants to prevent earwig damage(plants defoliated overnight).

SPECIAL TIPS: Loses flavor quickly when heated,so add to recipes at the end.

OTHER COMMON NAMES: Salad chervil.

Resembles parsley with light green leaves but it is more delicate and ferny.The umbrella-like clusters of white flowers on stems up to 2 feet high appear in late summer. You can find both curly and flat leaf forms.Use fresh leaves as you would parsley.It has a light anise flavor.Freeze leaves to preserve mild flavor; dried chervil has little flavor.