Celery
Celery (Apium graveolens L.), a biennial plant belonging
to the order Umbelliferae (Apiales), which, in its native
condition, is known in England as smallage. In its wild
state it is common by the sides of ditches and in marshy
places, especially near the sea. It has a furrowed stalk
with wedge-shaped leaves, the whole plant having a coarse,
rank taste, and a peculiar smell. By cultivation and
blanching the stalks lose their acrid qualities and assume
the mild sweetish aromatic taste peculiar to celery as a
salad plant. The plants are raised from seed, sown either
in a hot bed or in the open garden according to the
season of the year, and after one or two thinnings out and
transplantings they are, on attaining a height of 6 or 8
inches, planted out in deep trenches for convenience of
blanching which is effected by earthing up and so excluding
stems from the influence of light. A large number of
varieties are cultivated by gardeners, which are ranged
under two classes, white and red - the white varieties being
generally the best flavoured, and most crisp and tender.
As a salad plant, celery, especially if at all "stringy", is
difficult to digest but possesses valuable diuretic
properties. Both blanched and green it is stewed and used
soups, the seeds also being used as a flavouring ingredient. In the south of Europe celery is seldom blanched, but is much used in its natural condition.
Celeriac is a variety of celery cultivated more on account
its roots than for the stalks, although both are edible
and are used for salads and in soups. It is chiefly grown
in the north of Europe, and is not in much request in
Great Britain.
from the 9th edition (1876) of an unnamed encyclopedia
Referenced By
Boron deficiency | Cajun cuisine | Calcium deficiency (plant disorder) | Disease resistance in fruit and vegetables | Disease resistance in plants | List of vegetables
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