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.