Sea celery, Sea parsley, Australian celery, Slender sea celery
Apium prostratum

Family: Apiaceae

What it is like

A small herb. It is a creeping plant which grows close to the ground. It keeps growing from year to year. It has hollow stems. The plant is succulent. The stems are 15-60 cm long. The leaves are similar to garden celery. They are light yellow-green in colour. They are divided and lobed. They vary in size. The flowers are white and in a flat topped arrangement with the flowers all coming out from one point. There are 6-12 flowers in the cluster. These heads can be 1.5 cm across. The seeds are small and shiny. It smells of celery when crushed.

There are about 20 Apium species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in coastal regions. It grows on rocky shores and swamps. It needs light well-drained soils. It is damaged by drought and frost. It often grows in limestone cliffs and dunes. It occurs on wet sandy shores. It grows along salty rivers. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 100 m above sea level. Tasmania Herbarium.

Countries/locations it is found in

Antarctic, Argentina, Australia (country/location of origin), Brazil, Chile, Easter Island, New Zealand (country/location of origin), South America, Tasmania (country/location of origin), Uruguay

How it is used for food

The leaves are dried then used for flavouring. The seeds can be used for flavouring. The stalks can be eaten. The leaves and stems are cooked and give a celery flavour. The leaves have a bitter taste so should be cooked.

Edible parts

Stalks, seeds, leaves

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seed or by division.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Apium australe var. angustisectum H. Wolff; Apium dunicola Pontiroli; Petroselinum australe Hook.f.; and others