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Celeriac
Habit (mature) · Rasbak / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
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Celeriac
Apium graveolens var. rapaceum
A cool-season root vegetable in the carrot family (Apiaceae) grown for its swollen, edible, brown, turnip-like root, which tastes like celery with an additional turnip-like flavoring. Biennial by nature, it is grown as an annual: in its first season it forms a basal rosette of aromatic, pinnately divided leaves above the enlarging root, and only in a second year would it send up a summer bloom of off-white flowers in umbels. Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder describes a plant 2-3 feet tall and 1-1.5 feet wide that wants full sun, rich moist well-drained soil, and consistent water. It dislikes summer heat and humidity, growing best between 60-75 degrees F, and the root is ready to harvest after 3-4 months.
Review: Source-backed
Edible
Light
Full sun
Water
Consistent moisture
Mature size
24-36" tall · 9" apart
Hardy in zones
Annual; Missouri Botanical Garden lists USDA 3-6 context
Summer heat range
Cool-Mild
cool to mild summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
No
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It is a cool-weather crop that dislikes the heat and humidity of a typical summer, growing best between 60-75 degrees F, yet it also bolts if held at or below 55 degrees F for 1-2 weeks, so it wants a steady, mild season rather than extremes at either end.
Climate notes
Cold hardiness
This plant is grown as an annual; hardiness zones don't apply.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
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). Celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/celeriac
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 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-SA 3.0
Backs 1 field
Image
Community photos
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