Chervil

Chervil (Anthriscus Cerefolium) - This popular annual is considered to be both a medicinal herb as well as a culinary herb. It is also an attractive plant with finely-divided, fern-like leaves. It likes a position in the shade during the hottest part of the day. If it is positioned in full sun, the delicate foliage can suffer and become burned and bleached. Chervil is fast growing and harvesting can be as soon as 8 weeks after planting the herb seeds. Some gardeners will sow the Chervil seeds in successive plantings to keep a constant supply of leaves.

For culinary use, both the roots and leaves are used. The roots can be harvested in mid-summer and stored like a potato for later use in soups. The leaves are the most widely-used and have an anise-parsley flavor. Chervil leaves are a great addition to salads and soups. The flavor lends itself well to fish, crab, meats, vegetables and sauces. Chervil also had a therapeutic property being used as a diuretic and for skin ailments.

Chervil herb plants need moisture, but it is best to let them dry out in-between waterings. The soil should drain well. The most challenging aspect of growing Chervil is keeping it from going to seed. The herb plants will want to flower as the summer heat increases. Keep the flowers cut to encourage leaf growth, and harvest often, picking the outside leaves and allowing the younger leaves to grow. Harvest the leaves when the flavor is the best which is just before flowering and in cooler weather.