Pink celery’s vibrant color makes it a worthy addition to summertime salads, especially if you want to serve something eye-catching. However, its flavor stands out.

Native to China, the vegetable has a powerfully herbaceous scent and flavor, and you’ll catch notes of anise, a plant member of the same family (Apiaceae).

Pink celery is crunchier than stalk, making it a great addition to light, leafy-green dishes. However, some find its flavor too strong for delicate ingredients like salad leaves.

Once cooked, pink celery becomes delightfully sweet, and because it is crispier than stalk celery, it retains more toothsomeness.

The vegetable is versatile, pairing well with meat, poultry, fish, and seasonings like ginger, garlic, and scallions. You can also garnish dishes with raw shredded pink celery.

However, pink celery is fairly rare outside of Northern China, so you might have a hard time finding it. Some farms in the United States grow it, or you can order seeds online.