Celery Root or Celeriac Facts for Kids

What am I?

​I'm often added to soups to add more flavor. 

I started growing in the Middle East and have been farmed for at least 3,000 years. I was used as a decoration on King Tut's tomb! The seed, which is actually the fruit of my plant, was used in ancient medicine.

Where I grow

​See my gnarly roots? You guessed it, I grow under the ground. However, I have many varieties, and on other plants, you'll eat the part that grows above the ground, which is a long green stalk. I'm a cool weather plant, which means I grow best when temperatures are 55 to 70°F.

After I'm picked

​I grow slowly, and usually after the first frost, I'm ready to be picked. Farmers cut the stalks off the root. Once I'm picked, I should be kept cool. 
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My root is delicious cooked and added to soups or mashed like potatoes. My seeds can also be used as a spice. And the stalk can be eaten raw or cooked. 

Did you guess... Celery Root

Español: raíz de apio

​​Have you tried celery root before? It can also be called celeriac. 

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