Parsley was brought to Newfoundland before 1620 by British sea captain John Mason and was grown by the Plymouth colonists in their first gardens.

Its culinary and medicinal uses had been widely known for centuries. Unfortunately, this common and useful herb has numerous associations with death. To be “in need of parsley” meant that a man was either close to death or impotent. The Greeks made funeral wreaths with it and bedecked graves and even corpses with it to drive away the stench. They believed that the first parsley grew from the blood of Archemorus, son of Death, after he had been eaten by serpents. Thereafter, victors at Greek funeral games were crowned with wreaths of parsley. The Romans wore wreaths of it on their heads at their feasts to ward off intoxication. They also wore them at weddings to repel evil spirits. In Great Britain, “Welsh Parsley” is slang for the hangman’s rope. The Tudors regarded it as a cure for baldness.

Apparently only witches can germinate the seeds, and transplanting it will offend the mythical guardian of the herb. This can be circumvented by planting seeds on Good Friday, the only day the Devil has no jurisdiction on the soil. Even then, it has to travel to hell and back seven (or nine) times before it will sprout. The ungerminated seeds are the ones Old Scratch has kept for himself. It grows best in a household where the woman rules. Grow parsley in pots, or well away from the vegetable garden: its smell attracts rabbits.

Remember when restaurants put parsley on the plate as a garnish? Originally it was to provide the diner with a breath freshener and digestive aid after the meal – we were supposed to eat it. When Peter Rabbit overindulges in Farmer McGregor’s garden, he says, “I’d better find a bit of parsley.”

You can buy expensive parsley oil capsules to sweeten your breath, or simply chew a few stems of the real deal. You’ll get the vitamins, fiber and phytochemicals to boot. Today’s science tells us, “Thanks to its stores of apiol and myristicin, parsley is a natural diuretic that relieves bloat-inducing water retention by preventing salt from being reabsorbed into bodily tissues. Diuretic herbs such as parsley prevent problems such as kidney stones and bladder infections and keep our body’s plumbing running smoothly.” Gosh, aren’t rabbits smart?

– A reference librarian, Lisa Karen Miller has been gardening and researching plant lore for many years. Have some plant lore to share? Email lisalisa13131313@gmail.com.