Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Annual BiennialHerbs - Culinary

Apium graveolens var. rapaceum

celeriac

Cultivated variety of celery, grown for its knobbly, swollen edible stem. Celeriac is usually pale white, reaching up to 12cm in diameter. It is very hardy and reliable winter crop. Many cultivars are available, with some that are less prone to premature flowering (bolting). Green, aromatic leaves form a bunch-like rosette above the swelling. If left to flower, umbels of tiny, pale-white flowers are held on upright, ribbed stems

Other common names

turnip-rooted celery

Synonyms

Apium rapaceum

Save to My plants

Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

1–2 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Apiaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Semi evergreen
Habit: Columnar upright
Potentially harmful: Harmful to skin with sunlight. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus: Apium can be annual, biennial or perennial herbaceous plants, with leaves divided into three leaflets, or pinnate; in summer, tiny white flowers are borne in umbels
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist, rich soil in full sun. Will grow well in heavy and clay soils. Exposure to cold temperatures in spring may lead to premature flowering. For more advice see celeriac cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds or sowing seeds indoors for further advice

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and snails and and celery leaf miner

Diseases

May be susceptible to celery leaf spot

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.