Celery “Cut and come again”

“Cut and Come Again” Leaf Celery (Apium graveolens var. secalinum) – Flavourful, Heirloom Herb for Continuous Harvest

Botanical Name: Apium graveolens var. secalinum
Common Name: Leaf Celery, Chinese Celery, Cutting Celery
Biennial | Heirloom | Culinary | Grown from Seed

Leaf Celery is a robust and flavourful heirloom herb prized for its finely cut leaves and aromatic punch. Unlike the thick-stalked supermarket types, this cut-and-come-again variety is grown for its foliage—perfect for soups, stews, stocks, salads, and garnishes. Grown from seed, it’s a cool-season biennial that thrives in Irish gardens, offering continuous harvests of fresh, celery-flavoured greens through spring, summer, and into autumn.

With a growth habit similar to parsley but a richer, more savoury flavour, leaf celery is ideal for both intensive kitchen gardening and low-maintenance perennial herb beds.
? Horticultural Highlights:

Growth Habit: Upright, leafy biennial with finely cut foliage

Flavour Profile: Strong, savoury celery taste; excellent for seasoning

Harvesting: Regular leaf cutting promotes ongoing growth

Cycle: Can overwinter in mild areas; goes to seed in second year

Pollinators: Tiny umbels of white flowers in year two attract beneficial insects

? Growing Instructions (Seed Propagation – Ideal for Irish Conditions):

Sowing Time:

    Indoors: February–April for transplanting

    Outdoors: May–July, once soil warms

Sowing Tips:

    Sow thinly on surface or just covered—needs light to germinate

    Germination takes 14–21 days at 15–20°C

Spacing: Thin or transplant to 20–25 cm apart

Soil: Rich, moist, and well-drained; benefits from regular compost or seaweed feed

Light: Full sun to partial shade

Care: Keep well-watered, especially in dry periods; mulch to retain moisture

Harvest: Cut outer leaves as needed; regrowth continues through the season

? Historical Background:

Leaf celery has ancient roots in Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, predating the development of thick-stemmed modern celery. It was a staple herb in medieval European and Irish kitchen gardens, appreciated for its ability to enhance broths and healing tonics. The “cut and come again” approach makes it especially valued in traditional gardens where ongoing harvest without replanting was essential. Today, it’s returning to favour among heritage growers, permaculture enthusiasts, and those seeking flavourful, low-input crops.