Sea celery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sea celery |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Apium
|
| Species: |
prostratum
|
Sea celery, also known as Apium prostratum, is a special plant that grows along the coasts of Australia and New Zealand. It's a type of herb, which means it's a plant with soft stems, not woody ones like trees. This plant is quite interesting because its leaves can look a bit different depending on where it grows. It also has a smell that reminds you of regular celery! Its tiny white flowers grow in small bunches.
Contents
All About Sea Celery
Different Kinds of Sea Celery
Sea celery isn't just one type of plant; it has two main kinds, called varieties. These varieties look a bit different and grow in different places:
- Apium prostratum var. filiforme is often called headland sea celery. This type is shorter and has wider leaves. Its leaves are usually two to three times longer than they are wide. You can find it growing on sandy coastal dunes and rocky headlands.
- Apium prostratum var. prostratum is known as mangrove sea celery. This variety grows taller and has very thin leaves, which are six to fifteen times longer than they are wide. It prefers to grow in wet, swampy areas, especially near mangroves.
There's also a special kind of sea celery called Apium prostratum subsp. howense. This plant only grows on Lord Howe Island, a small island in the Pacific Ocean. It's unique to that island!
How People Use Sea Celery
Sea celery has been an important plant for a long time. The Maori people in New Zealand, who call it Tutae Koau, have traditionally eaten it.
Sea Celery for Explorers
When early explorers and settlers came to Australia and New Zealand, sea celery became a very important vegetable for them. For example, in October 1769, Captain Cook and his crew ate sea celery when they visited Botany Bay in Australia. They also collected a lot of it at Poverty Bay in New Zealand. They did this to help protect his crew from scurvy, a serious illness caused by not getting enough vitamin C. In the early days of the Sydney colony, settlers often ate sea celery as a survival food.
Eating and Cooking with Sea Celery
You can eat both the leaves and the stems of sea celery. Its taste is very similar to regular celery. People use it to add flavor to soups. The filiforme variety is thought to taste even better. Dried sea celery leaves are sometimes used in special Australian spice mixes.
Growing Sea Celery
In the past, settlers around Albany in Western Australia grew sea celery as a vegetable. Today, it is still grown and sold, but only in small amounts.
