Anthriscus sylvestris Ravenswing Seeds - Wild Chervil

Anthriscus sylvestris 'Ravenswing' is a surprising form of cow parsley with very dark foliage. Its finely cut foliage of a very dark purple gives it the appearance of a black fern, stunning in a wild or curious garden. Its white flowering, made up of delicate umbels, forms a beautiful contrast of light and dark with its foliage that can be enjoyed from late spring. Often biennial, this carefree plant self-seeds abundantly wherever it pleases: seedlings can easily be transplanted according to the gardener's desires.

Anthriscus sylvestris, sometimes called cow parsley, belongs to the Apiaceae family, just like wild carrot, parsley, and hemlock, with which it is often confused. It is a pioneering plant, which easily colonises rubble, roadside edges, fallow land, and the vicinity of houses. Native to Europe, boreal and western Asia, and North Africa, it grows in open spaces, mostly on clay, slightly calcareous, and not too dry soil. Its growth cycle can be annual, biennial, or as a short-lived perennial depending on the climate.

'Ravenswing' has a thick and elongated stump. This variety quickly forms a bushy clump with a height of 80cm (32in) to 1m (3ft) depending on the soil fertility, with a spread of 70cm (28in). The hollow, channelled stems show slightly swollen nodes and are hairless towards their upper part. The plant develops shiny, tripinnate, dentate leaves of a very dark purple, measuring 15 to 30cm (6 to 12in) long. The brown-purple colour tends to become bronze in summer, especially if the plant is exposed to partial shade. From May to July, depending on the climate, small umbels with a diameter of 5 to 7cm (2 to 3in) bloom at the top of the upright stems, organised into smaller umbellules: the umbel has 7 to 16 almost equal ray florets, each carrying an umbellule with 8 to 12 secondary rays. They are composed of tiny white flowers with pink bracts, honey-producing and nectar-rich. The foliage will more or less disappear in winter, depending on the climate.

Anthriscus sylvestris 'Ravenswing' adapts to any good garden soil, it is an undemanding plant that harmonises with all its neighbours, perfect for designing a brand new or wild, curious, or naturalistic garden. It is valuable for bringing lightness and colour to flower beds, just like columbines, gauras, or grasses. In a flowery meadow, it will accompany centaureas, annual poppies, nigellas, cosmos, Ammi visnaga, ornamental carrots such as Dara, or thistles. It can also be successfully combined with roses, tulips, garden irises, shrubby wormwoods, and coastal cinerarias, with white or silver foliage. The foliage and flower umbels are also perfect for bouquets.