Herbs are pretty great, as they are rich in nutrients and other natural compounds that are usually hard to find and you get the most of them with these herbs. Not only that, but herbs used for cooking really enhance the taste of any recipe that you might be preparing getting you the best possible taste that you can get. There is a wide range of herbs available out there and at times it gets hard to differentiate between them as well.
Especially if you are dealing with planting these herbs and want them to grow at an optimal rate, you will definitely need to take care of them appropriately. Basil and Parsley are two such herbs that almost look identical but have significant differences as well that one needs to know about. They are the right herbs to be grown as are pretty easy to maintain and you will not have to face any problems while growing them up most of the time. A few key differences that you must know about if you plan on growing them or using them in any of the recipes you are preparing.
Basil vs Parsley
Basil
Basil is an herb from the mint family and that makes it easy to recognizable. It has a distinctive scent that allows you to enjoy the perfect taste and aroma and you get to have the right flavor you might be looking for. Basil is pretty distinctive as there are no stems that are visible due to the abundance of leaves and not only that but there is a lot more to it. The leaves are thick and have a pattern on them as well that makes basil easily recognizable and you get the right texture from it with all the different sorts of food that you might be planning on preparing as well.
Basil is native to the tropical regions but is being used in cuisines worldwide. It is pretty easy to confuse basil with a number of other related spices and herbs and that is why you will need to be particularly careful about basil. The basil is pretty rich in nutrients and has a darker color as well. The leaves are whole with no cutting on them either. The leaves are together in a bunch and they are connected to the same stem. Leave doesn’t need to come directly from the stem and that adds a certain aesthetic to basil that would be great to plan them indoors or outdoors. They can even be planted in pots to decorate your balcony or the window and that will not only be adding aesthetics but also a great fragrance to the ambiance that is certainly the best thing to be enjoying.
Parsley
Parsley on the other hand grows significantly different than basil and that is why you will need to take special care of it. It is a species that is known to come from a flowering plant family but is certainly different since there are no flowers on the parsley. Smaller stems grow out of the main stem that is not thick either and is green in color. These smaller stems have lots of leaves on them that are used for cooking, medicinal purposes ad more.
The easiest way to recognize parsley from the basil is that the leaves are not whole and they have certain cuts to it. The distinctive shape of parsley is what would make it look different and you can differentiate it from the other herbs pretty easily. The stems also make up for the difference and since it is pretty thin and has elasticity in it, you can know the parsley. Parsley is being cultivated as a vegetable and is eaten almost all over the world. It can also be used as a garnishing for some recipes and adds the best freshness and taste to a number of dishes.
Parsley is pretty easy to grow and doesn’t require any specific environment or too much extensive care either. You just need to be careful about the watering routine and water them regularly to ensure that they are growing well. Any type of soil that has the right nutrients and drainage qualities would go perfectly with parsley.