Plants
Chervil
Anthriscus cerefolium · Apiaceae
Chervil is the finest spring herb in the kitchen: its delicate aroma, reminiscent of aniseed and parsley, elevates soups, egg dishes and the famous Frankfurt green sauce. It grows fast, likes it cool and does well on the windowsill — as long as you keep it out of blazing sun. We source our herb pots fresh via the Veiling Rhein-Maas in well-branched nursery quality.
- Light
- Part shade to bright, without direct midday sun.
- Watering
- Regular — evenly moist, never let it dry out.
- Care level
- Medium
- Botanical
- Anthriscus cerefolium
Chervil is an annual umbellifer and a close relative of parsley, dill and carrot. Its finely feathered, light green foliage resembles flat-leaf parsley but tastes noticeably sweeter with a fine aniseed note. In French cuisine it belongs with tarragon, chives and parsley among the fines herbes.
As a typical spring and autumn herb, chervil likes cool, part-shaded conditions. Summer heat and drought make it bolt into flower within days — the foliage then turns coarse and the aroma flat. For a steady supply, re-sow every two to three weeks from March and take a break at the height of summer.
Only six to eight weeks pass from sowing to first harvest, making chervil one of the fastest culinary herbs. Cut a hand-width above the soil; the plant will regrow once or twice more.
The aroma is extremely volatile: never cook chervil along, but scatter it freshly cut over the dish just before serving. Drying is not worth it — frozen or worked into butter, the flavour keeps far better.
Important for foragers: wild chervil can be confused with highly poisonous hemlock and fools parsley. To be safe, harvest only from your own sowing or a purchased pot — there, crushed foliage smells unmistakably and delicately of aniseed.
Is Chervil toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Non-toxic
- Cats
- Non-toxic
- Dogs
- Non-toxic
True garden chervil is considered non-toxic to cats, dogs and children. Caution applies only when foraging: it can be confused with highly poisonous hemlock — so use only your own sowings or purchased pots.
Overview: toxic & non-toxic plants for cats, dogs and children
Care
- 01A part-shaded, cool spot — avoid blazing summer sun.
- 02Keep evenly moist; drought stress makes chervil bolt.
- 03Re-sow every two to three weeks from March for a continuous harvest.
- 04Cut a hand-width above the soil and it will regrow.
- 05Do not cook it along — add the herb just before serving.
- 06Pause sowing at the height of summer and start again from late August.
Frequently asked
- What is chervil used for in the kitchen?
- Classically for chervil soup, Frankfurt green sauce, egg dishes, fish and light sauces. It is one of the French fines herbes and is always added fresh and at the very end, because its aroma evaporates during cooking.
- Is chervil toxic to cats or dogs?
- No, garden chervil is considered non-toxic to cats, dogs and people. What matters is a safe source: in the wild, chervil can be confused with poisonous hemlock, whereas purchased pots and your own sowings are safe.
- Why does my chervil bolt so quickly?
- Chervil is a cool-climate herb: heat, drought and long summer days trigger flowering. A part-shaded spot, even moisture and sowings in spring and from late August instead of midsummer keep the foliage tender for longer.
- Can you dry or freeze chervil?
- Freezing yes, drying no. When dried, chervil loses almost all of its aroma. Finely chopped and frozen in ice-cube trays with a little water or butter, the flavour keeps for months.