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Chervil is an annual with curly and very finely cut and divided leaves like parsley, growing on stems 45cm tall. They smell and taste mildly of anise. Clusters of white flowers grow in umbrella like clusters at the tops of the flowering stems.

This herb and sweet cicelywhich is also known as sweet or giant chervil but is a perennial are often confused with one another, and when many early writers speak of chervil they are referring to sweet cicely. Chervil was once highly valued as a salad herb, and during the Middle Ages the roots were eaten during plagues with the curious stipulation that they be washed but never scraped or pared. The leaves were also dried and applied to bruises in a compress.

Chervil is grown from seeds in good, slightly moist garden soil and in partial shade. Flower stems are often is harvested in mid or late summer. If you allow flowers to mature, chervil will reseed itself readily.

Although chervil often is considered a gourmet parsley, it has a more pronounced, slightly anise-like flavor. When used with other herbs it enhances their flavor. The fresh leaves also can be added to salads.