Celery Wood
Polyscias elegans
Common Name:
Celery Wood
Scientific name:
Polyscias elegans
Height:
Celery Wood can grow up to 20m in its natural habitat.
Bark:
It has a long slender trunk.
Leaves:
It has few to no branches between the base of the tree and the palm-like spreading crown which can reach 6m across.
Flowers:
Flowers purple to black, with 5 petals each 2-3 mm long, turned back when the flower is open.
Fruit:
5–6 mm long, purple-black when ripe.
First Nations uses:
A stick of the Celery Wood can be used as a stirring spoon.
Geographical location:
Southern NSW to Northern Australia
Conservation status:
Least concern
Photo & Research by:
Sapphire Dilnot
Interesting fact:
The leaves are crushed they smell strongly of celery, hence its common name. Celery Wood provides food for many native birds and it is a larval food plant for the caterpillars of the Pencilled Blue butterfly.
