# Celery (*Apium graveolens*)

Celery is a crunchy green vegetable that is great for snacking! It grows tall and has long, thin stalks that are perfect for dipping in your favorite sauces.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Gardens
- **Also known as:** Celery Heart, Pascal Celery

![Celery](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/2023-06-22_Apium_graveolens_%28Wild_Celery%29%252C_Elswick%252C_Northumberland_4.jpg&width=800)

Photo: MPF, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2023-06-22_Apium_graveolens_%28Wild_Celery%29%252C_Elswick%252C_Northumberland_4.jpg)

## Appearance

The Celery has long, crisp, bright green stalks that grow upright from a central base, often forming a dense bunch. Its leaves are feathery and divided, while tiny white flowers bloom in umbrella-like clusters when the plant goes to seed.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Apiales
- **Family:** Apiaceae
- **Genus:** Apium

## Interesting facts

- Ancient Egyptians used celery as a medicinal plant, not just for eating!
- Celery is part of the carrot family, which also includes dill and parsley!
- Celery strings are actually tough vascular bundles that carry water and nutrients!
- Historically, celery was once used to make victory wreaths for athletes in ancient Greece!

## Special abilities

- **Water Reservoir:** Celery can store lots of water in its thick stalks, which helps it stay crunchy and hydrated in dry conditions.
- **Natural Aroma:** Celery has special oils that give it a unique, strong smell. This helps protect it from some hungry pests.
- **Regrowth Power:** Celery can regrow its stalks if the base is left in water, allowing it to produce more food from just a small piece.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-100 cm
- **Spread:** 15-30 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.1-0.3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Biennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Honey bees visit celery flowers to collect nectar and pollen.
- **Eaten by:** Gray field slug (*Deroceras reticulatum*) — Slugs sometimes feed on celery leaves and young stalks.
- **Eaten by:** Beet armyworm (*Spodoptera exigua*) — Its caterpillars can chew on celery leaves and stems in gardens.

## Traits

- [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves.
- [Agricultural](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/agricultural): This human use trait describes species cultivated or domesticated by humans for agricultural purposes, including crops and livestock.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always wash celery before eating it to make sure it's clean.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Celery?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Celery?

30-100 cm

### How wide does Celery spread?

15-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on Celery?

0.1-0.3 cm

### When does Celery bloom?

Summer

### Is Celery edible?

Yes

### Is Celery toxic?

None

### What is Celery's lifecycle?

Biennial

## Where to spot

- [Crystal Cove Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/crystal-cove-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Celery: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/celery)