Sea Parsley (Sea Celery)Species: Apium prostratum
Family: Apiaceae
Family: Apiaceae
Sea Parsley - or Sea Celery, as it is sometimes called - occurs all along the southern coastline of Australia. It's leaf form and plant dimensions vary quite considerably from place to place, but most commonly it has an appearance of shiny dark green parsley, and is in fact closely related to European parsley.
The significant difference is that it grows right on the coastline, often submerged by the incoming storm tides. It is the connection to the seafront, where it grows in composted sea weed and sand, that gives it it's special flavour. Sea Parsley/Celery grows in a prostrate manner over rocky ledges and sandy ridges, and it's small white flower clusters give rise to large amounts of seed in the summer months.
Although an annual, Sea Parsley has a resilient tap root like a carrot, which gives it a semi-perennial capacity. It was identified by early Europeans as far back as Captain Cook in 1788, and provided a welcome flavour boost to soup and stews at the time.
This herb is useful in soups, dressings, flavoured butter, with seafood and in white sauces.
