Wild Chervil Plant Care

Wild Chervil (Anthriscus sylvestris) belongs to the Apiaceae family within the Anthriscus genus. Wild Chervil is native to Europe, western Asia and northwestern Africa. Wild Chervil is also known as Cow Parsley, Keck, Queen Anne's Lace.

Wild Chervil displays an upright, bushy growth habit, reaching up to 2 ft tall with a spread of approximately 1.5 ft. Wild Chervil produces small white umbels.

Leaf size: approximately 4 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Wild Chervil every 5–7 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Wild Chervil thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Anthriscus sylvestris tolerates temperatures of 50–75°F. Wild Chervil prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining, fertile soil with organic matter. Good drainage is essential for Wild Chervil to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Wild Chervil every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining, fertile soil with organic matter. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Wild Chervil is suited to USDA Zone 3a – 7b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Wild Chervil can spread to about 2 ft (0.5 m) and reach about 2 ft (1 m) tall. Space plants about 2 ft (0.5 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Wild Chervil while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Wild Chervil is hardy down to USDA zone 3a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown shrubs need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Wild Chervil can be propagated through seeds, division. Similar propagation techniques also apply to burr chervil plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Wild Chervil is susceptible to aphids, caterpillars, leaf miners. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Wild Chervil grows outdoors in USDA Zone 3a – 7b. It survives winters down to planting zone 3a. Wild Chervil is native to Europe, western Asia and northwestern Africa.