The exact native range is disputed; some sources cite it as native to much of Europe and southwestern Asia,[3] others from only the eastern Mediterranean region in southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia,[4] and yet others only to southwestern Asia in Iran andAfghanistan, citing European populations as naturalised.[5][6] It has been long cultivated in Europe, the leaves being used as a herb, the roots as a vegetable, and the seeds as a spice, especially in southern European cuisine.[4]
