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Apio

Apio

Apium graveolens var. dulce
Una hortaliza bienal de temporada fresca en la familia de la zanahoria (Apiaceae), cultivada como anual por sus tallos foliares acanalados, crujientes y comestibles. Apium graveolens es nativa del Mediterráneo templado europeo, Asia y África — no de América del Norte. Exige suelo rico, consistentemente húmedo, y temperaturas frescas y estables (60-75°F); el calor y la sequía vuelven los tallos fibrosos y amargos, lo que la convierte en una de las hortalizas de jardín más exigentes.
Climate fit: narrow (31/100)
Edible
Light
Full sun
Water
Consistent moisture
Mature size
24-30" tall · 13" apart
Hardy in zones
3a-6b
brutally cold to cold winters
AHS heat range
1-6
Plant range authored in AHS heat-zone terms.
Native in Illinois
No
A documented larval host for the Black swallowtail — caterpillars feed on its foliage before becoming the next generation.

Cold hardiness

Future
These values are location-based: this location's current hardiness is the baseline, and the 2050 value is a projected future climate for this same location.
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Published baseline for this location from 1991-2020.
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Marginal
2050
Zone 7a
Plotwright
Projected zone for this same location in 2050 (2041-2070) using SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry).
Won't grow here
In plain terms: This location is in Zone 6b today. Its hardiness profile is cold winters, and coldest nights are typically around -3°F. By 2050, the projected hardiness zone is Zone 7a based on SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry). That is a +0.5-zone shift from Zone 6b to Zone 7a by 2050.
⚠→✕
Marginal today, but likely out of range by 2050.

Heat tolerance

Future
Heat tolerance values are location-based too: heat days today are observed at this site, and the 2050 value projects this same location under a future climate.
Loading AHS heat-zone data for this location...

Sources & citations

Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Apio (Apium graveolens var. dulce). Retrieved 2026, June 14, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/apium-graveolens-var-dulce
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited - 18 source-backed.
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Botanical research database
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY 3.0
Backs 1 field
Image
University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension — Black swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes
University extension service