Parsley Companion Planting: Learn About Plants That Grow Well With Parsley

Parsley Plant With Companion Plants In The Garden
parsley companion
(Image credit: RagnarPhoto)

Parsley is a very popular herb among gardeners. A classic garnish on so many dishes, it’s especially useful to have on hand, and since cutting stalks only encourages new growth, there’s no reason not to give parsley some space in your garden. It’s a well-known rule that some plants grow better next to others, however, and with parsley there’s no exception. Keep reading to learn more about plants that grow well with parsley, as well as those that don’t.

Parsley Companion Planting

Companion planting is the age-old trick of knowing which plants grow better next to other plants. Some plants encourage certain others to grow, while others inhibit them. Plants that are mutually beneficial are called companions. Parsley is a great companion crop, encouraging the growth of plenty of plants around it. Of all the vegetables, asparagus benefits the most from having parsley nearby. Other plants that grow well with parsley include:

All of these are mutually beneficial with parsley and should grow well nearby. Lettuce and mint don't make good neighbors with parsley and should be kept far away from it. Maybe the most surprising parsley companion is the rose bush. Planting parsley around the base of the plant will actually make your flowers smell sweeter. Specific pairings aside, parsley is good for all the plants in your garden because of the insects it attracts. Swallowtail butterflies lay their eggs on the leaves, encouraging a new generation of butterflies to grow up in your garden. Parsley flowers attract hoverflies, the larvae of which eat aphids, thrips, and other harmful insects. Some harmful beetles are also repelled by the presence of parsley. Companion planting with parsley is that easy. Get started today and enjoy the benefits of growing other plants with this wonderful herb.

Liz Baessler
Senior Editor

The only child of a horticulturist and an English teacher, Liz Baessler was destined to become a gardening editor. She has been with Gardening Know how since 2015, and a Senior Editor since 2020. She holds a BA in English from Brandeis University and an MA in English from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. After years of gardening in containers and community garden plots, she finally has a backyard of her own, which she is systematically filling with vegetables and flowers.