"Giant of Italy" Flat-Leaf Italian Parsley

[BreezyCooking]

If you're not growing this, start some NOW!! I doubt I'll ever be growing varieties of regular Italian flat-leaf parsley again after growing & sampling this baby.

The stalks are around 10"-12" long ending in large tri-leaflets that are about 1/2 a palm-size. Four of these stems not only yielded the same amount as a small fist-full of regular flat-leaf, but the flavor was so superior that the amount difference didn't even matter to me. In addition, the stalks are tender enough that, if minced, can easily be added to your dish along with the chopped leaves.

I bought some seeds for this early this year, but after badly breaking my wrist & other health problems, didn't get to sow them. Imagine my delight when my local farmers market had seedlings of them for sale!! I'm so glad I indulged myself, especially since so little of this plant goes such a long way.

And it's decorative as well! I currently have mine in a large glazed ceramic planter along with some "Blue Moon" lobelia & white Sweet Alyssum. Very pretty.

Seeds of this variety are available from a number of online companies - "Seeds of Italy", "Johnny's", "Pinetree". Just do a search for "Giant of Italy" parsley. Definitely worth a spot in the garden.

Can't wait to see how cold-hardy it is!

 

[Kathleen]

It sounds interesting! Where did you taste it? Where do you find it for purchase without growing your own?

~Kathleen

 

[BreezyCooking]

Oh Kathleen - re-read my post for comprehension - lol!! Answers both of your questions. But to repeat - I bought the seedlings at my local farmers market, & didn't taste them until just last night when they were finally large enough to harvest.

 

[Wyogal]

Our master gardener's plant sale was a couple of weeks ago. We had company, my folks were here, so didn't make it. I would love to get some! I look for seeds for next year.

 

[buckytom]

i wondered what variety of parsley my neighbor has grown for the past few years. the leaves on this thing are huge and very tasty!

all i got from the neighbor was that it was a special variety of parsley from macedonia (their home country) available no where else. they had supposedly gotten smuggled seeds, same as their brandywine tomatoes, english cucumbers, and hungarian hot wax peppers. oh brother...

i can't wait to grow it and say it's a special norwegian variety of parsley, straight from the fjords near bergen.

 

[jennyema]

My parsley plant last year was HUGE. Like 3 ft by 3 ft. by 3 ft.

And gorgious and delicious and lasted forever. I saved seeds from it but they didn't grow

My current plants are anemic looking so I will scour the farmer's market tomorrow for "Giant of Italy"


Tnx

 

[BreezyCooking]

"Seeds from Italy" carries two varieties - "Giant of Naples", as well as "Giant of Italy". There's definitely still time to some sow seed if you wish.
Seeds from Italy

"Johnny's Selected Seeds" has "Giant of Italy".
Johnny's Selected Seeds – Superior Seeds & Gardening Tools

And "Pinetree Garden Seeds" has "Prezzemolo Gigante D'Italia", which are the seeds I bought but haven't planted yet. I may still plant some in a container to bring indoors for the winter in case my outside plants don't prove to be winter-hardy.
https://www.superseeds.com/products.php?search=parsley

 

[CookLikeJulia]

I love parsley a lot especially when you top them on your favorite dish. Oh,
please give us the idea where to purchase seeds or can you sell some to me?

 

[Wyogal]

Cooklikejulia: click on the links that Breezy provided.

 

[n2cookin]

Thanks for the information on the Giant Italy Parsley. It sounds like something I will want to try. I have some regular flat leaf growing, but might even try sowing a few seeds in a separate pot just to try them.