Are these celery seedlings?

[muck lover]

*** Mod note**** for those new to growing, it needs to be pointed out that Hemlock is a highly toxic plant…and this thread isn’t meant to suggest that it can actually be eaten in any form ****

Does anyone else have self sown celery seedlings popping up overwinter? My polytunnel seems full of little seedlings which look and smell like celery. I tasted a tiny leaf and it tasted just like celery. I have grown celery in this polytunnel and it has been great.
my question is : is this celery? My gardening reputation would take a significant hit if I provided hemlock for the soup pot.

[MelanieSW]

Celeriac certainly self seeds very readily, outside without any protection on the allotment here.
Your seedlings do look like celery or celeriac, however I have zero experience with hemlock.

[Mark Rand]

Dumb question:- Did you let previous years' celery crops flower? I had thought it was a biennial, like parsley.

Or was it some of last year's seed that managed to germinate this year?

[muck lover]

I think it did flower last year although these seedlings are everywhere in polytunnel and grew slowly all winter. Also I might have thrown a ‘failed’ tray of attempted celery seed into the compost bin. I’ve failed a few times to get decent germination with celery so if this is celery ( and I think it is) this is a very convenient way of growing it.
I’ve been reading up on poisonous celery lookalikes ( hemlock) and it’s supposed to have an unpleasant taste which this doesn’t.
how strange though that I’ve accidentally grown something that I’ve found difficult to grow on purpose.

[Peanut]

Title corrected to celery, not parsley!

I think if it tastes like celery, looks like celery, and given you have previously grown celery it probably is celery. Hemlock has more feathery leaves too.
That's nature and the frustrations of gardening for you isn't it. We can sow it, love it and it still dies, neglect it, forget it and it somehow thrives!

Sounds like you're going to have a great celery crop this year, enjoy!

[muck lover]

The soup pot will be full!