Utah Celery, often referred to as Tall Utah or Utah 52-70 Improved, is a classic heirloom variety developed in Utah that produces tall, upright plants with thick, broad, medium-dark green stalks typically 10-12 inches long (sometimes up to 15 inches), crisp and nearly stringless with a compact heart of tender inner ribs. The stalks have a firm, juicy texture and a rich, nutty, slightly sweet flavor that's excellent raw or cooked—milder and more tender than many older celery types, without the heavy fibrous strings that make eating difficult. It's perfect for fresh snacking in crudités or with dip, chopped into salads and soups, used as the base for mirepoix in stocks and sauces, braised or sautéed as a side, or added to stir-fries and casseroles for its satisfying crunch and mild taste. This variety is a reliable choice for Utah because it's adapted to our alkaline soils and variable cool-season climate, matures in a reasonable timeframe for our shorter growing season with transplants, and is consistently recommended by USU Extension as one of the best-performing celery types for local home gardens—vigorous, disease-resistant (including to fusarium yellows in improved strains), and productive in fertile, well-drained soil with consistent moisture.
