• Photo of Angelica archangelica (Angelica archangelicas)

Plant Profile: Angelica archangelica

Taxonomy: Angelica archangelica

Names

Angelica, Archangel, Garden Angelica, Ground Ash, Masterwort, Norwegian Angelica, Wild Celery

  • Photo of Angelica archangelica (Angelica archangelicas)

Phonetic Spelling:an-JEL-ih-kah ark-an-JEL-ih-kah

Genus:Angelica

Species:archangelica

Family:Apiaceae

Garden Angelica is a sturdy biennial or short-lived perennial herb belonging to the carrot family. Known for its strong musky fragrance and warm, sweet flavor, it has been utilized for culinary and medicinal purposes for centuries. The plant's name, archangelica, is derived from the belief that an archangel revealed its healing properties to humanity.

Resembling a wild carrot, Garden Angelica features a long, thick, spindle-shaped root that is purple in color. Its roots, leaves, seeds, and young stems possess a flavor reminiscent of licorice. This plant flourishes in moderately cool climates, thriving in partial shade or full sun in northern regions, and prefers to grow near flowing water. It requires consistently moist soil, so it’s important not to allow it to dry out between waterings.

In its first year, Garden Angelica produces foliage, while flowering occurs in the second year, after which the plant dies once the seeds have ripened. Propagation can be achieved through seeds or root cuttings during the second year.

Caution is advised, as Garden Angelica can be mistaken for toxic plants like Conium maculatum. It may also lead to increased sensitivity to sunlight and contact dermatitis.

Angelica archangelica Feature Summary

Angelica archangelica Image Gallery

Tags

#fragrant
#white
#yellow
#rain garden
#biennial
#white flowers
#purple leaves
#shade tolerant
#green flowers
#bright green
#yellow flowers
#herb garden
#summer flowers
#deer resistant
#herbaceous perennial
#edible garden
#wet soils tolerant
#loamy soils tolerant
#partial shade tolerant

Similar Plants

Angelica archangelica is often confused with:

Angelica archangelica Feature Summary

Attributes
Garden Angelica was believed to have medicinal and magical properties that counteract poisons and ward off evil. As a medicinal plant, it was considered to have 'angelic' healing powers for protection against contagions, purifying blood, and treatment of digestive disorders. Candied stalks are used for decoration on puddings and cakes. Essential oils may be used in perfumes, soaps, salves, and oils.
Greenland, Iceland, Europe and Western Siberia, Himalayas
Widely cultivated and naturalized in northern temperate regions
Roots, leaves, seeds, and young stems have a flavor similar to licorice. Seeds and distilled oils are widely used to flavor liqueurs and occasionally foods. Leaves may be used in salads, young stalks may be peeled and used like celery or candied, leaves and roots can be used for making tea.
Biennial
Fruit
Pale yellow, straw-colored oblong fruit with prominent ridges and pleasing fragrance.
Schizocarp
Gold/Yellow
Cream/Tan
< 1 inch
Flowers
The small yellowish-white sometimes pinkish flowers make up semicircular, apical double umbels around 6" in diameter. They bloom in the summer and then produce oblong fruits with a pleasant scent.
Pink
White
Gold/Yellow
Green
< 1 inch
Leaves
The chartreuse lower leaves grow to 2-3 foot long which are divided into 2 or 3 finely toothed or serrated leaflets 3 inches in length. They clasp the base of the plant with somewhat purplish bases.
Green
Gold/Yellow
Purple/Lavender
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Oblong
Lanceolate
Obovate
Serrate
Dentate
> 6 inches
Stem
Stout fluted bright green stems are hollow are sometimes tinged with purple and can reach as high as 7 feet tall.
Purple/Lavender
Green
Hairy (pubescent)
Poisonous to Humans
Photosensitivity (sunburn, dermatitis)
Leaves
Stems
Sap/Juice
Roots
Whole Plant Traits
Edible
Herbaceous Perennial
Herb
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Edible Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Meadow
Riparian
Pond
Butterflies
Pollinators
Bees
Contact Dermatitis

Angelica archangelica Attributes

Angelica archangelica: Uses (Ethnobotany)

Garden Angelica was believed to have medicinal and magical properties that counteract poisons and ward off evil. As a medicinal plant, it was considered to have 'angelic' healing powers for protection against contagions, purifying blood, and treatment of digestive disorders. Candied stalks are used for decoration on puddings and cakes. Essential oils may be used in perfumes, soaps, salves, and oils.

Angelica archangelica: Country Or Region Of Origin

Greenland, Iceland, Europe and Western Siberia, Himalayas

Angelica archangelica: Distribution

Widely cultivated and naturalized in northern temperate regions

Angelica archangelica: Edibility

Roots, leaves, seeds, and young stems have a flavor similar to licorice. Seeds and distilled oils are widely used to flavor liqueurs and occasionally foods. Leaves may be used in salads, young stalks may be peeled and used like celery or candied, leaves and roots can be used for making tea.

Angelica archangelica: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Angelica archangelica: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Angelica archangelica Fruit

Angelica archangelica: Fruit Description

Pale yellow, straw-colored oblong fruit with prominent ridges and pleasing fragrance.

Angelica archangelica: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Angelica archangelica: Fruit Color

grass
Cream/Tan
grass
Gold/Yellow

Angelica archangelica: Fruit Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Angelica archangelica: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Angelica archangelica: Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Angelica archangelica: Fruit Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Angelica archangelica Flowers

Angelica archangelica: Flower Description

The small yellowish-white sometimes pinkish flowers make up semicircular, apical double umbels around 6" in diameter. They bloom in the summer and then produce oblong fruits with a pleasant scent.

Angelica archangelica: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Gold/Yellow
filter_vintage
Green
filter_vintage
Pink
filter_vintage
White

Angelica archangelica: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Angelica archangelica: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Angelica archangelica: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Angelica archangelica: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Angelica archangelica Leaves

Angelica archangelica: Leaf Description

The chartreuse lower leaves grow to 2-3 foot long which are divided into 2 or 3 finely toothed or serrated leaflets 3 inches in length. They clasp the base of the plant with somewhat purplish bases.

Angelica archangelica: Leaf Color

spa
Gold/Yellow
spa
Green
spa
Purple/Lavender

Angelica archangelica: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Angelica archangelica: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Angelica archangelica: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Angelica archangelica: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Angelica archangelica: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Angelica archangelica: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Angelica archangelica: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Angelica archangelica Stem

Angelica archangelica: Stem Description

Stout fluted bright green stems are hollow are sometimes tinged with purple and can reach as high as 7 feet tall.

Angelica archangelica: Stem Color

grass
Green
grass
Purple/Lavender

Angelica archangelica: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Angelica archangelica: Stem Surface

Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)

Angelica archangelica Poisonous to Humans

Angelica archangelica: Poison Symptoms

Photosensitivity (sunburn, dermatitis)

Angelica archangelica: Poison Toxic Principle

Furocoumarins

Angelica archangelica: Poison Severity

High
Low
Medium

Angelica archangelica: Causes Contact Dermatitis

No
Yes

Angelica archangelica: Poison Part

Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems

Angelica archangelica Whole Plant Traits

Angelica archangelica: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Angelica archangelica: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Angelica archangelica: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Angelica archangelica: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Angelica archangelica: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Angelica archangelica Cultural Conditions

Angelica archangelica: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Angelica archangelica: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Angelica archangelica: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Angelica archangelica: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Angelica archangelica: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Angelica archangelica: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Angelica archangelica: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Angelica archangelica Landscape

Angelica archangelica: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Angelica archangelica: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Angelica archangelica: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Angelica archangelica: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Angelica archangelica: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy