Celery captivates with its characteristic aroma. We will show you the differences between celeriac, cut celery and celery.
Celery (Apium graveolens) belongs to the umbelliferae family (Apiaceae) and is probably the most well-known representative of the celery genus (Apium). This plant genus includes thirty different species. However, the real celery can find space in your own garden in different growth forms:
celeriac (apium graveolens var. rapaceum)
The celeriac forms - as the name suggests - a tuber. This is a storage organ that arises partly from the root and partly from the shoot. The tuber is sensitive to cold and must therefore be harvested before the first frosts in autumn. It can be used raw or cooked. You can also just freeze them or boil them down to keep the celery for longer.
Celery (Apium graveolens var. dulce)
The celery is also known as stalk or celery. It only forms a small tuber, but its leaf stalks are stronger and thicker. It convinces with a slightly milder aroma and can therefore be used perfectly in vegetable dishes or in salads. For example, if the sticks are wrapped in newspaper from mid-September to protect them from light, they will fade. This produces what is known as celery, which is known for its refined taste. Since celery copes a little better with the cold, it can be harvested fresh throughout milder winters.
Celery (Apium graveolens var. secalinum)
The tuber is missingin the case of cut celery almost entirely. However, the foliage is similar to that of parsley and can also appear in a crinkled form. Sliced celery is also handled like parsley and can be easily cut off at any time as needed. The only advantage of cut celery: You can dry it without noticeably losing its aroma.
The real celery trumps with a multifaceted variety and thus has a secure right to a place in every garden.
You can find out how to grow these different types of celery here.