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Anthriscus cerefolium - (L.)Hoffm.                
                 
Common Name Chervil
Family Apiaceae or Umbelliferae
Synonyms Chaerophylum sativum.
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Hedgebanks, roadsides and waste places[9, 17].
Range South-eastern Europe. Naturalized in Britain[17].
Edibility Rating  
Medicinal Rating  
Care
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Full shade Semi-shade Full sun

Summary       

Physical Characteristics       
 icon of manicon of flower
Anthriscus cerefolium is a BIENNIAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 0.3 m (1ft).
It is hardy to zone 7 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen from Jun to July. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.The plant is self-fertile.


Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Anthriscus cerefolium Chervil


Anthriscus cerefolium Chervil
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Rasbak
   
Habitats       
Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Hedgerow; Cultivated Beds;
Edible Uses                                         
Edible Parts: Leaves;  Root.
Edible Uses: Condiment.

Edible leaves - raw in salads or used as a flavouring in cooked foods such as soups and stews[2, 14, 21, 27, 46, 61, 100, 244]. A mild aromatic flavour[183] that is suggestive of aniseed[238]. The leaves are often used as a flavouring, they form the basis of the seasoning 'fines herbes'[200] and are an essential ingredient of 'bouquet garni'[244]. The leaves should always be used fresh because the delicate flavour does not withstand drying or prolonged cooking[238, 244]. The leaves are ready for harvesting in about 8 weeks from sowing, the plant responds well to cut and come again harvesting[200]. The flowers are used as a seasoning[183]. The root is said to be edible[177, 183].
Medicinal Uses


Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Digestive;  Diuretic;  Expectorant;  Ophthalmic;  Poultice;  Stimulant.

Chervil is not widely used as a medicinal herb, though it is sometimes employed as a 'spring tonic' for cleansing the liver and kidneys, is a good remedy for settling the digestion and is said to be of value in treating poor memory and mental depression[238, 244, 254]. The fresh plant, harvested just before flowering, is digestive, diuretic, expectorant, poultice and stimulant[9, 21, 201]. The juice is used in the treatment of dropsy, arthritis and chronic skin ailments[9]. The bruised leaves are used as a poultice for slow-healing wounds[9] and a warm poultice is applied to painful joints[268]. An infusion of the fresh leaves is also used as an eyewash to treat sore or inflamed eyes[244].
Other Uses
Repellent.

The growing plant is said to repel slugs[238].
Cultivation details                                         
Prefers a well-drained moisture retentive soil[200]. Plants dislike hot dry summers[200], it is best to give summer crops a cool shady position but winter crops require a sunny position[14, 18, 37, 52]. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.8 to 7.6. Plants are hardy to about -10°c[200]. Chervil is occasionally cultivated as a salad plant, especially in France[268]. There are some named varieties[183]. It can supply fresh leaves all year round from successional sowings, especially if given some protection in winter[238]. Although a biennial, it is usually cultivated as an annual[238]. It often self-sows when grown in a suitable position[18, 200]. Be careful if harvesting this plant from the wild because it is superficially similar to some poisonous species such as young plants of hemlock, Conium maculatum[244]. Chervil is an aromatic plant with pleasantly scented leaves[245]. It is said to be a good companion plant for growing with carrots and radishes[18, 201], the radishes becoming hotter and crisper[201]. It also grows well with dill and coriander[201]. When grown with lettuces it is said to protect them from aphids and ants, the plant is also said to repel slugs[238].
                                                                                 
Propagation                                         
Seed - sow in situ in succession from February to October. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 3 weeks[200]. The February, September and October sowings should be made in a very sheltered warm and sunny position outdoors or under some protection such as a frame. Other sowings can be made in a position that has at least some shade from the midday sun since the plant runs to seed quickly if it gets too hot or the soil is dry[238]. The seed only remains viable for about a year[238].
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Expert comment                                         
 
      
Author                                         
(L.)Hoffm.
                                                                                 
Botanical References                                         
200
                                                                                 
Links / References                                         

[2]Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
[9]Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants.
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.
[14]Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs.
A good herbal.
[17]Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles.
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
[18]Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants.
Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.
[21]Lust. J. The Herb Book.
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
[27]Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden.
A reprint of a nineteenth century classic, giving details of vegetable varieties. Not really that informative though.
[37]Thompson. B. The Gardener's Assistant.
Excellent general but extensive guide to gardening practices in the 19th century. A very good section on fruits and vegetables with many little known species.
[46]Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants.
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[52]Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round.
A good and comprehensive guide to temperate salad plants, with full organic details of cultivation.
[61]Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
[100]Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide.
An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses.
[177]Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption.
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[201]Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting.
A well produced and very readable book.
[238]Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[244]Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs
Deals with all types of herbs including medicinal, culinary, scented and dye plants. Excellent photographs with quite good information on each plant.
[245]Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World.
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
[254]Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
[268]Stuart. M. (Editor) The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism
Excellent herbal with good concise information on over 400 herbs.

Readers comment                                         
 
Elizabeth H.
Angela Thu Jul 31 2008
Are the more ornamental Anthriscus cultivars also edible?
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