Apium graveolens 'Utah 52-70'
Utah 52-70 Celery
Europe and western Asia (species, where wild ancestor grows in salt-tolerant marshes and coastal areas); 'Utah 52-70' is an improved selection from the Utah celery breeding line developed at the University of Utah, with the '52-70' designation indicating the selection year and breeding line number; the Utah breeding program selected for compact heart structure, dark green stalk color, and improved disease resistance over older Utah celery cultivars
Overview
Apium graveolens 'Utah 52-70' is a biennial vegetable in the carrot family (Apiaceae) grown as an annual, reaching 20-26 inches (50-65 cm) tall with a 10-12 inch (25-30 cm) spread and an upright compact bunching habit. The improved selection from the Utah celery breeding line carries the '52-70' designation indicating the selection year and breeding line number from the University of Utah breeding program. The cultivar produces thick smooth dark green stalks 9-10 inches (23-25 cm) long — shorter than 'Tall Utah' but with a thicker more compact heart and improved disease resistance over older Utah types. Stalks are crisp and stringless with a nutty celery flavor. Days to maturity 75-90 from transplant, slightly faster than 'Tall Utah'. The cultivar is a cool-season crop with the same demanding culture as all celery: consistent moisture, rich soil, steady cool temperatures, and a long growing season.
Native Range
Apium graveolens is native to Europe and western Asia, where the wild ancestor still grows in salt-tolerant marshes and coastal areas. The 'Utah 52-70' cultivar is an improved selection from the University of Utah celery breeding program.Suggested Uses
Grown in vegetable gardens for culinary use — raw eating, cooking, soups, juicing. The thick compact heart with stringless texture and improved disease resistance over older Utah types are the cultivar's primary horticultural features. Days to maturity 75-90 from transplant, faster than 'Tall Utah'. The cultivar is demanding and requires consistent moisture, rich soil, and steady cool temperatures. Not suited to hot climates, dry conditions, or inattentive watering schedules, since drought and heat stress cause stringy bitter stalks or trigger bolting that ends the harvest.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1'8" - 2'2"
Width/Spread10" - 1'
Reaches mature size in approximately 1 years
Bloom Information
Plants bolt in the second year or under heat or cold stress in the first year. Bolting produces small umbels of greenish-white flowers and ruins the harvest by turning stalks bitter and woody. Cold-season transplanting too early when nights drop below 50°F (10°C) for extended periods can trigger first-year bolting, so the standard practice is transplanting once nights stay reliably above 50°F.Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
Greenish-white small umbels carried on bolting stalks if plants experience heat stress, prolonged cold, or vernalization in the second year — bolting is undesirable in a stalk crop and ruins the harvest by turning the stalks bitter and woodyFoliage Description
Dark green compound foliage carried on thick crisp stalks 9-10 inches (23-25 cm) long; the dark color separates the cultivar from the lighter green of older Utah typesGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Seed is started indoors 10-12 weeks before last frost. Transplanting occurs after last frost when nights stay above 50°F (10°C), since cold stress triggers first-year bolting. Plants grow in rich moist soil at pH 6.0-7.0. Consistent moisture matters most for stalk quality — soil that dries out causes stringy stalks and bolting. Heavy feeding is required. Cool temperatures of 60-70°F (16-21°C) give the most reliable stalk development. Days to maturity 75-90 from transplant. Improved disease resistance over older Utah types reduces management of fungal leaf-spot and pink-rot pressure that affects older Utah cultivars in humid climates.Pruning
Outer stalks are harvested individually as needed, or the entire plant is cut at the base for a single bulk harvest. No pruning is required during the growing cycle.Maintenance Level
highContainer Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 5 gallons