Two subspecies of parsley are cultivated worldwide today: (lat. Petroselinum crispum ssp. crispum) – leaf parsley and (lat. Petroselinum crispum ssp. tuberosum) – root parsley.
Root Parsley Varieties:
Root parsley is categorized based on the length of the root:
- Long: 20 – 25 cm
- Semi-long: 15 – 20 cm
Breeding efforts for root parsley focus on developing thin-skinned roots with smooth surfaces and minimal thick lateral rootlets. In these cultivars, the leaves are also used, so they should be lush, smooth, and dark green.
Root Parsley Varieties (Bejo Zaden):
- Eagle – A semi-long root variety with a well-filled, smooth root. It is suitable for fresh sales and industrial processing.
- Fakir – A medium-late variety with a well-filled and smooth root, excellent flesh quality, suitable for fresh consumption and industrial processing.
- Arat – A long, smooth, and well-filled root variety suitable for fresh consumption and industrial processing. It has very lush and strong foliage.
Leaf Parsley Varieties:
Leaf parsley is classified based on the leaf margin into:
- Smooth-leafed
- Curly-leafed
Leaf Parsley Varieties (Bejo Zaden):
Titan – A smooth-leafed parsley (“normal appearance”). The leaves are dark green, of medium height, and upright, with a high dry matter content. It is intended for fresh consumption and industrial processing.
Krausa – A variety with highly curled, dark green leaves. The foliage is strong and very winter-resistant. It has a very high dry matter content, making it suitable primarily for industrial processing but also for fresh consumption.
