Celery

Celery is the common name for Apium graveolens, a biennial plant grown as an annual for its edible stalks.

Celery is native to marshy areas in Europe and Asia. It was used for medicine in ancient China. In Europe, it was primarily a seasoning until the 18th century, when the familiar variety with large stalks was developed.

Today celery is used as a vegetable in all sorts of cooking. In the United States, it is common to eat celery raw, with sauces or dips. Celery seed is used to flavor soups and pickles.

Celery seeds are planted in the spring, and the stalks are harvested from late summer through the first winter frosts. White celery is developed by piling up soil around the stalks to block them from sunlight. This blanched celery has a milder flavor than green celery.