Celeriac 'Brilliant' (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum) – Hardy Root Vegetable (12 Plants in 2 x 6-Cell Trays)

Celeriac 'Brilliant' is a grow your own root vegetable with a mild, celery-like flavour, grown for its large, smooth, round roots with creamy white flesh that stays white when cut. You receive 12 young plants, growing one to a cell in 2 plastic 6-cell trays, ready to plant out in a kitchen garden, allotment or raised bed.

Celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum) is grown for the swollen base of its stem, which is roasted, mashed, or grated raw into salads. It is not the same as celery. It needs at least six months to mature, and the roots store well, so you can harvest from autumn through winter. Once grown it is very hardy and can be left in the ground until you need it.

Young plants dislike cold, so wait until late May or early June and all risk of frost has passed before planting out, and harden them off gradually first. Celeriac grows in full sun or partial shade in rich, fertile soil. The key to a good crop is soil that stays consistently damp but never waterlogged, so water regularly and do not let it dry out in summer. Large containers work too if you keep them well watered.

Mulch around the base to hold in moisture and suppress weeds, and remove the lower leaves as the season goes on to help the root swell. The leaves can also be used for flavouring. Wear gloves when handling the foliage, as the RHS records the plant as harmful to skin in sunlight.

Cultural Information

• Botanical Name: Apium graveolens var. rapaceum
• Common Name: Celeriac, Celery Root, Turnip-rooted Celery
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: Approx. 40-60cm tall and 30-40cm wide (variety dependent)
• Growth Habit: Upright, leafy tops with a large swollen root base
• Perfect For: Kitchen gardens, allotments, raised beds, large containers
• Planting Position: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil Type: Rich, fertile, consistently moist but not waterlogged
• Hardiness: Hardy once grown. Young plants are tender to cold, so plant out from late May
• Seasonal Interest: Harvest from autumn through winter
• Edible Part: Swollen root, leaves for flavouring
• Type: Grow Your Own vegetable