Apium graveolens

Celery, Apium graveolens, is cultivated for its juicy stalks and occasionally its leaves. Its stalks work well when roasted or chopped into salads and stews.

Both celery and celeriac were bred from the same wild plant. Celeriac is hardier and more disease resistant than celery, but the flavour and aroma of the plants is similar.

Celery is a moisture-loving plant and requires a rich, moisture-retentive soil in full sun. The soil should never be allowed to dry out. As the plants mature, earth up the stems to blanch them, or buy a self-blanching variety such as 'Celebrity'.