Wild celery

Wild Celery is a common name for Apium graveolens, a plant species in the family Apiaceae. It is native to the Mediterranean region, but can be found worldwide as a cultivated plant, and in many locations outside its native range as an introduced species and sometimes a weed.

Description

Wild celery is a biennial plant that grows to 1 m tall. The leaves are pinnate to bipinnate with rhombic leaflets 3–6 cm long and 2–4 cm broad. The flowers are creamy-white, 2–3 mm in diameter, and are produced in dense compound umbels. The seeds are broad ovoid to globose, 1.5–2 mm long and wide. Wild celery emits a characteristic odor that is stronger than that of the cultivated plant.

Cultivation and uses

Wild celery has a long history of use by humans. It was cultivated as a medicinal plant in Ancient Egypt, and has been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments, including digestive problems and arthritis. Today, it is cultivated worldwide as a vegetable. The leaves are used in salads, and the stalks eaten raw or cooked. The seeds can be used as a spice.

Ecology

Wild celery is a food plant for the caterpillars of some Lepidoptera species, including the black swallowtail and the celery looper. It can also serve as a host plant for the carrot fly.

See also

• Celery
• Apiaceae
• Medicinal plants