Apium prostratum
Labill. ex Vent.
Apiaceae
This species was previously included in Apium australe.
Apium australe angustisectum H.Wolff
Apium australe latisectum H.Wolff
Apium dunicola Pontiroli
Apium filiforme (A.Rich.) Hook.
Apium graveolens Cham.
Helosciadium australe Bunge
Helosciadium prostratum Bunge
Petroselinum australe Hook.f.
Petroselinum filiforme A.Rich.
Petroselinum prostratum DC.
Common Name: Sea Celery
General Information
Apium prostratum is a prostrate to erect, biennial to perennial, herbaceous plant growing 5 - 100cm tall[
].
Apium prostratum was used as a celery substitute by the early European settlers. It has received some attention from the 'bush foods' industry in Australia, as it has a flavour similar to the common celery but with some evidence of parsley flavour[
397- Title
- Australian Native Plants Society
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://anpsa.org.au/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A series of fact sheets on Australian plants. Good photographs, brief description and information on uses, habitat, range, cultivation etc.
]. It has been suggested as having the potential to be bred as a cultivated vegetable[
193- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Low. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0-207-14383-8
- Description
- Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
].
Known Hazards
Skin contact with the sap is said to cause photo-sensitivity and/or dermatitis in some people[
218- Title
- Medicinal Plants of China
- Publication
-
- Author
- Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S.
- Publisher
- Reference Publications, Inc.
- Year
- 1985
- ISBN
- 0-917256-20-4
- Description
- Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
].
Botanical References
265- Title
- Flora of the Sydney Region
- Publication
-
- Author
- Carolin. R. & Tindale. M.
- Publisher
- Reed. Australia.
- Year
- 1993
- ISBN
- 0730104001
- Description
- Concise flora with little beyond an extensive key, species descriptions, very brief habitat description.
,
Range
Australia - New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria; New Zealand; southern S. America - Brazil, Argentina, Chile
Habitat
Coastal headlands and dunes, margins of brackish swamps and saline stretches of river banks[
193- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Low. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0-207-14383-8
- Description
- Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
]. Coastal areas, flooded sites, creeklines, swamps and marshes; growing in sand, sandy loam, granite and limestone soils[
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.60 m |
| Pollinators | Flies, Self |
| Self-fertile | Yes |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Easily grown in a sunny position, succeeding in most, moist soils[
397- Title
- Australian Native Plants Society
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://anpsa.org.au/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A series of fact sheets on Australian plants. Good photographs, brief description and information on uses, habitat, range, cultivation etc.
]. Prefers a rich moist soil with some shade in summer.
The crushed leaves smell strongly of celery[
193- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Low. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0-207-14383-8
- Description
- Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
].
Edible Uses
Leaves - raw or cooked[
173- Title
- Native Edible Plants of New Zealand.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Crowe. A.
- Publisher
- Hodder and Stoughton
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-340-508302
- Description
- A very well written and illustrated book based on the authors own experiments with living on a native diet.
,
192- Title
- Narcotic Plants
- Publication
-
- Author
- Emboden. W.
- Publisher
- Studio Vista
- Year
- 1979
- ISBN
- 0-289-70864-8
- Description
- A lot of details about the history, chemistry and use of narcotic plants, including hallucinogens, stimulants, inebriants and hypnotics.
]. A salty taste, it is used as a flavouring in soups etc or as a garnish in a similar way to parsley[
193- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Low. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0-207-14383-8
- Description
- Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
]. The leaves can also be eaten raw but have a very strong flavour[
193- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Low. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0-207-14383-8
- Description
- Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
]. A parsley flavour, they are quite pleasant raw[
173- Title
- Native Edible Plants of New Zealand.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Crowe. A.
- Publisher
- Hodder and Stoughton
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-340-508302
- Description
- A very well written and illustrated book based on the authors own experiments with living on a native diet.
]. Apium prostratum has received some attention from the 'bush foods' industry as it has a flavour similar to the common celery but with some evidence of parsley flavour[
397- Title
- Australian Native Plants Society
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://anpsa.org.au/index.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A series of fact sheets on Australian plants. Good photographs, brief description and information on uses, habitat, range, cultivation etc.
].
The leaf stems can be blanched and used like celery[
154- Title
- Flora of Victoria.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Ewart. A. J.
- Publisher
- University Press; Melbourne
- Year
- 1930
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A flora of eastern Australia, it is rather short on information that is useful to the plant project.
], but they are small and fibrous so are not very worthwhile[
193- Title
- Wild Food Plants of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Low. T.
- Publisher
- Angus and Robertson.
- Year
- 1989
- ISBN
- 0-207-14383-8
- Description
- Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
].
Root. No further details.
Seed - used as a flavouring in soups etc[
173- Title
- Native Edible Plants of New Zealand.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Crowe. A.
- Publisher
- Hodder and Stoughton
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-340-508302
- Description
- A very well written and illustrated book based on the authors own experiments with living on a native diet.
].
Medicinal
The plant is antiscorbutic[
].
Other Uses
Used for pads to make canoes watertight.
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Germination can be a bit slow, taking a month or more. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Division in spring.
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
