Water Celery (Berela erecta) with floating ring

Perennial | Australian Native | Edible | Pond Margin Plant

Water Celery (Berela erecta) is a versatile Australian native pond plant that is perfect for combining your water garden with an edible garden. With celery-flavoured stems, delicate foliage and small creamy white flowers, it makes a useful and attractive addition to ponds, water bowls and shallow water areas.

Growing naturally in moist and wet environments, Water Celery is a perennial plant that can be grown in full sun through to part shade. Its foliage grows above the water line, while the plant can tolerate shallow water between approximately 2–5cm deep.

If you love the idea of growing plants that are both beautiful and useful, Water Celery is a great choice. The edible stems have a fresh celery flavour and can be enjoyed as a tasty addition to summer salads.

Why Grow Water Celery in Your Pond?

Water Celery is a fantastic option for an edible water garden, allowing you to make use of the moist conditions around your pond to grow something you can enjoy in the kitchen.

Its celery-flavoured stems provide a fresh, crisp addition to salads, while its small creamy white flowers add a subtle touch of colour around the pond margin.

Unlike oxygenating pond plants, Water Celery is grown primarily for its edible foliage, attractive growth and ability to thrive in shallow water and moist conditions.

Water Celery Pond Plant Features

• Botanical name: Berela erecta
• Common name: Water Celery
• Plant type: Perennial
• Origin: Australia
• Position: Full sun to part shade
• Flowers: Small creamy white flowers
• Water depth: Approximately 2–5cm
• Foliage: Grows above the water line
• Height: Up to approximately 40cm
• Width: Up to approximately 20cm
• Edible: Yes
• Oxygenator: No
• Cover: No
• Best suited to: Pond margins, shallow water and edible water gardens

Growing Water Celery

Water Celery is an easy way to introduce an edible plant into your pond environment. It prefers consistently moist conditions and can tolerate shallow water, making it particularly well suited to the edges of ponds and water bowls.

Plant it where the roots can remain moist while the foliage grows above the surface. It can tolerate water depths of approximately 2–5cm.

Water Celery grows to around 40cm high and approximately 20cm wide, making it useful for adding some height and structure to the pond margin without taking up a large amount of space.

Position

Water Celery grows well in full sun to part shade.

A sunny position will provide good growing conditions, while part shade can also be suitable, particularly in warmer locations.

Its foliage grows above the water, making it an attractive option for creating a transition between the pond and surrounding garden.

An Edible Pond Plant

One of the great features of Water Celery is that it is edible.

The stems have a delicious celery flavour and can be used as a fresh addition to summer salads and other dishes.

Water Celery is also naturally rich in nutrients including vitamins A, C and K and folate, making it an interesting addition to an edible water garden.

As with any edible plant, only consume plants that have been grown in suitable conditions and have not been treated with products unsuitable for edible plants.

Water Celery Flowers

Water Celery produces small creamy white flowers that add a delicate touch to the pond margin.

The flowers contrast nicely with the green foliage and can help create a softer, more natural appearance around the edge of your pond.

For an edible pond garden with plenty of variety, combine Water Celery with other edible and flowering pond plants.

Is Water Celery an Oxygenating Plant?

No. Water Celery is not an oxygenating pond plant.

If you're creating a balanced pond planting scheme, combine Water Celery with dedicated oxygenating plants, as well as marginal and flowering plants.

A simple way to plan your pond planting is to follow the 3-2-1 rule: 3 oxygenating plants, 2 marginal plants and 1 flowering plant per square metre.

Planting Water Celery in Your Water Garden

Water Celery is ideal for:

• Pond margins
• Shallow water
• Water bowls
• Boggy areas
• Edible water gardens
• Natural-style ponds
• Small ponds and container water gardens

Its combination of edible stems, attractive foliage and delicate flowers makes it a particularly useful plant for anyone wanting to create a water garden that is both beautiful and productive.

Feeding Water Celery

For healthy growth, Water Celery benefits from a nutrient-rich growing environment.

A suitable slow-release aquatic fertiliser tablet can be added during the growing season. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for application rate and frequency.

Add Water Celery to your pond for fresh celery-flavoured stems, delicate white flowers and a productive edible water garden.