The Mitsuba San ye qin San ip Japanese Wild Parsley, 'Cryptotaenia japonica', has a really unique flavor tasting like angelica, celery and parsley. Break your gardening rut and try Mitsuba, a delightfully flavored Japanese herb. The leaves and stems are used to flavor foods and are added to salads. The plant is about 1 foot tall with light or dark heart-shaped 3 inch wide leaves. Mitsuba means three leaves, referring to the leaflets of three leaves. Japanese Wild Parsley has many uses and one of the main uses is as a substitute for parsley.
The chopped leaves and stems of Japanese Wild Parsley are used to flavor foods such as soups, sukiyaki, and rice dishes. The leaves can be briefly dipped in boiling water and then used as a delicious garnish. Plant the Mitsuba after the last average frost date or in early fall for a winter crop. They will grow in full sun but they prefer light shade.