Celery
Apium graveolens dulce
Family: Apiaceae or Umbelliferae
What it is like
Apium graveolens dulce is a BIENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft). It is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Flies. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.6
Where it is found
Not known in the wild.
A cultivated form of garden origin.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 4
Leaf stems - raw or cooked. A fairly common salad ingredient, celery stems are also used to make soups, stews etc. The winter varieties can be bitter if they are not blanched by excluding light from the stems for at least a few weeks prior to harvesting. Many people find the raw stalks are somewhat indigestible. Leaves - raw or cooked. They are often used as a flavouring in soups etc. They can also be eaten raw but have a very strong flavour and are probably best as a minor ingredient in a mixed salad. Seed - used as a flavouring for sauces, soups, pickles etc. An essential oil from the seed is also used as a flavouring. Root - cooked. There is not much of it but it can be cut up and added to soups.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Condiment: the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.
Medicine
Rating: 2
Although not as medicinally active as wild celery, the cultivated forms of celery also have the same medicinal properties and, when used as an item of the diet, will have a similar effect upon the body. These medicinal uses are as follows: Wild celery is an aromatic bitter tonic herb that reduces blood pressure, relieves indigestion, stimulates the uterus and is anti-inflammatory. The ripe seeds, herb and root are aperient, carminative, diuretic, emmenagogue, galactogogue, nervine, stimulant and tonic. Wild celery is said to be useful in cases of hysteria, promoting restfulness and sleep and diffusing through the system a mild sustaining influence. The herb should not be prescribed for pregnant women. Seeds purchased for cultivation purposes are often dressed with a fungicide, they should not be used for medicinal purposes. The root is harvested in the autumn and can be used fresh or dried. The whole plant is harvested when fruiting and is usually liquidized to extract the juice. The seeds are harvested as they ripen and are dried for later use. An essential oil obtained from the plant has a calming effect on the central nervous system. Some of its constituents have antispasmodic, sedative and anticonvulsant actions. It has been shown to be of value in treating high blood pressure. A homeopathic remedy is made from the herb. It is used in treating rheumatism and kidney complaints.
Antiarthritic: Treats arthritis.
Aperient: A mild laxative.
Carminative: Reduces flatulence and expels gas from the intestines.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Emmenagogue: Promotes or increases the menstrual flow. In early stages of pregnancy it can induce an abortion.
Galactogogue: Promotes the flow of milk in a nursing mother.
Nervine: Stimulates and calms the nerves.
Stimulant: Excites or quickens activity of the physiological processes. Faster acting than a tonic but differing from a narcotic in that it does not give a false sense of well-being.
Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
Other
Rating:
The growing plant is an insect repellent, it repels the cabbage white butterfly so is a good companion for brassicas.
Repellent: Plants that are said to deter but not necessarily kill various mammals, birds, insects etc.
How it is grown
Prefers a rich light moist soil with some shade in summer. Prefers a sunny position and a pH between 6.6 and 6.8. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.2 to 8.3. Plants grow best in a climate with a mean temperature in the range 16 - 21°c, leaf growth is poor at higher temperatures, low temperatures can induce the plant to run to seed prematurely. Plants with 5 or more true leaves will flower following exposure to temperatures between 5 - 10°c for 10 days or more. Celery is commonly cultivated in many regions of the world, mainly for its edible leaf stalks. There are many named varieties and these can supply fresh stalks from late summer to spring. There are two basic types of celery. Those grown for summer and autumn harvesting are called 'self-blanching' - the stems do not need to be blanched in order to be eaten, though they are usually grown quite closely together which tends to exclude quite a bit of light. Those cultivars harvested in the winter and spring tend to have bitter-tasting stems unless these are blanched by excluding light. A good companion for leeks, tomatoes, French beans and brassicas.
Propagating it: Seed - germination can be erratic and the seed is best surface sow February in a greenhouse. The maincrop can be sown as late as mid-April. Outdoor sown seed rarely germinates satisfactorily. Germinates in 2 - 3 weeks at 15°c. Plant out in May. The seed can harbour certain diseases of celery, it is usually treated by seed companies before being sold but if you save your own seed you should make sure that only seed from healthy plants is used.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Biennial
Hardiness:
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
If the plant is infected with the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, skin contact with the sap can cause dermatitis in sensitive people.