The term celery powder may refer to ground dehydrated celery or to ground celery seeds. Ground celery seeds come from a different celery variety than the type commonly eaten in the west. It is called smallage and is used in China and Southeast Asia. Celery has been used since the time of the ancient Egyptians. Celery seeds were found in the tomb of King Tutankhamun.
Celery is thought to have originated in the Mediterranean region. The English word celery was first documented in 1664 and was derived from the Greek word selinon.
The first people to use the plant as a seasoning were the ancient Romans. A love of the plant’s properties was passed down to The Italian and the French. Celery would be domesticated during the Middle Ages and today it continues to play a major role in modern European cuisine as well as in the cuisines of various Asian countries, including China and India.