Celeriac Explained

Celeriac
Genus:	Apium
Species:	Apium graveolens
Group:	Rapaceum Group or Celeriac Group
Subdivision Ref:	^[1]
Subdivision:	Bergers White Ball Diamant Giant Prague Goliath Ibis Kojak Monarch Monet F1 Prinz Snow White

Celeriac (Apium graveolens Rapaceum Group, synonyms Apium graveolens Celeriac Group and Apium graveolens var. rapaceum),^[2] also called celery root,^[3] knob celery,^[4] and turnip-rooted celery^[5] (although it is not a close relative of the turnip), is a group of cultivars of Apium graveolens cultivated for their edible bulb-like hypocotyl, and shoots.

Celeriac is widely cultivated in the Mediterranean Basin and in Northern Europe.^[6] It is also but less commonly cultivated in North Africa, Siberia, Southwest Asia, and North America.^[7] In North America, the 'Diamant' cultivar predominates.

History

Wild celery (Apium graveolens), from which both celeriac and celery derive, originated in the Mediterranean Basin. It was mentioned in the Iliad^[8] and Odyssey^{[9] [10]} as selinon.^[11] Celeriac was grown as a medicinal crop in some early civilizations.

Culinary use

Typically, celeriac is harvested when its hypocotyl is 10to in diameter. This is white on the inside, and can be kept for months in winter. It often serves as a key ingredient in soup. It can also be shredded and used in salads. The leaves are used as seasoning; the small, fibrous stalks find only marginal use.^[12]

The shelf life of celeriac is approximately six to eight months if stored between 0C5C, and not allowed to dry out.^[13] However, the vegetable will tend to rot through the centre if the finer stems surrounding the base are left attached. The centre of celeriac becomes hollow as it ages, though even freshly harvested celeriacs can have a small medial hollow.^[13] The freshness will also be obvious from the taste; the older it is, the weaker the celery flavour.

See also

• List of vegetables
• List of root vegetables

External links

• Nutritional Summary for Celeriac, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
• Web site: RHS Award of Garden Merit: Asparagus, Celeriac, chard, Chinese cabbage, fennel, melon, pak choi, rhubarb 2011 . 31 January 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130708081936/http://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/Plant-trials-and-awards/Plant-awards/AGM-fruit-and-veg/AGM-asparagus_chard_pak_rhubarb_melon . 8 July 2013 . dead .  

Notes and References

1. Web site: Growing Crops: Celery and Celeriac . 17 June 2011 . Urban Organic Gardening . 28 January 2012 . 12 October 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171012131832/http://www.urbanorganicgardening.org/celery-and-celeriac.html . dead .
2. Web site: Apium graveolens Rapaceum Group . NCBI Taxonomy Browser . National Center for Biotechnology Information . 2024-05-28 .
3. Web site: Molly. Watson. All About Celery Root (Celeriac). localfoods.about.com. 29 April 2014. 25 November 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091125031719/http://localfoods.about.com/od/fall/tp/aboutceleryroot.htm. dead.
4. Web site: Zanteson . Lori . 2019-11-07 . Health benefits of celery root may just surprise you . 2023-06-29 . . en.
5. Celery . 5 . 500.
6. Web site: Celeriac (Apium graveolens L. var. rapaceum) . Schuchert . Wolfgang . Crop Exhibition . Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research . 28 January 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120520225912/http://www2.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de/pr/garten/schau/ApiumgraveolensLvarrapaceum/Celeriac.html . 20 May 2012 .
7. Web site: Celeriac (Apium graveolens rapaceum) . Growing Taste: A Home Food-Gardening Resource.
8. Book: The Iliad of Homer. 2.776.
9. News: Staub . Jack . 2006-11-29 . The Vegetable World's Ugly Duckling: Celeriac . en . NPR . 2022-07-09.
10. Web site: eat celery root . 2010 . eattheseasons.com . 29 April 2014.
11. Σέλινον has been translated by Lattimore as "the parsley that grows in wet places," by Murray as "parsley of the marsh," and by Butler as "wild celery."
12. Web site: Celeriac (Apium graveolens L. var. rapaceum) . Schuchert . Wolfgang . Crop Exhibition . Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research . 28 January 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120520225912/http://www2.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de/pr/garten/schau/ApiumgraveolensLvarrapaceum/Celeriac.html . 20 May 2012 .
13. Web site: Small-scale postharvest handling practices – A manual for horticultural crops – 3rd edition. March 1995. FAO Agriculture and Consumer protection. 29 April 2014. 24 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924153219/http://www.fao.org/wairdocs/x5403e/x5403e09.htm. dead.