Angelica: cultivation, care & uses

Angelica is not only great in terms of its diverse healing properties, but also has an attractive appearance. As a perennial plant, it harmoniously complements any garden.

Angelica (Angelica archangelica var. sativa) produces many valuable active substances, which are primarily stored in its root and are extracted to help heal digestive tract disorders. Read on to learn how to cultivate the perennial in your garden as well as the plant’s other beneficial healing properties.

Angelica: properties and origin

Angelica, also known as angel’s fishing rod or archangel, is native throughout Eurasia and many species are also found in North America. You can spot angelica in the wild along riverbanks, in ditches and wet meadows but is most commonly found in gardens.

The biennial to quadrennial perennial can reach heights of 50 cm to 2.5 m and has a hollow stem with a diameter of up to 10 cm. Large, spherical, white-green to yellow umbel flowers form at the end of the stem. Angelica’s leaves are tripinnate and can grow to be quite large, with lower leaves reaching up to 90 cm in size.

Angelica does not usually flower in its first year of growth as the plant first focuses on developing lush foliage. From June to August of the second year, you can admire the large umbels with their countless small flowers, which have a sweet fragrance and attract many pollinators. After flowering, the plant usually dies back and self-seeds to produce new plants the following year. However, in the right conditions, it can also grow year after year.

Angelica is often confused with other plants:

When gathering angelica plants in the wild, it is easy to confuse it with wild angelica (Angelica sylvestris), which has no medicinal properties. Wild angelica is smaller, slimmer and has pink flowers. A dangerous misidentification is with giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum), which is highly phototoxic and causes painful welts and blisters when its leaves are touched in combination with sunlight. The most noticeable difference is the colour of the flower, which is pure white in the case of giant hogweed and greenish in the case of angelica.

The most beautiful species

There are about a hundred species of angelica, only about half of which are native to Europe. Here is our list of the most beautiful Angelica species:

Angelica archangelica: Probably the most well-known species in our latitudes, and it is highly valued for its medicinal properties. The perennial, which can grow up to 2.5 m tall, has large, white and green inflorescences.

Tip: Angelica archangelica ‘Solveig’ has a particularly high content of beneficial ingredients.

Purple angelica (Angelica gigas): Purple angelica, also known as Korean angelica, is a slightly more ornamental perennial for the garden with deep purple flower umbels and stems.

Chinese angelica (Angelica sinensis): Also known as Dong Quai in China, this species is an important component of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). Visually, it is very similar to our native angelica and its medicinal use is also comparable. It improves blood circulation and is thus used to treat menstrual irregularities and anaemia.

Wild angelica (Angelica sylvestris): Wild angelica is somewhat smaller, finer, and it has no medicinal properties. Pink flowers open from the dark red buds. Its leaves are extremely dark, almost black.

Planting angelica: location, sowing and procedure

When growing angelica in your own garden, choose a sunny to semi-shady location. Angelica likes moist, humus-rich and very nutritious soil. It is best to improve the soil with fresh compost, especially if your garden soil is sandy.

Angelica looks stunning when planted as a structural element in the garden. With its tall stature, it makes an excellent main perennial in your perennial bed.

Planting is preferable to sowing because it allows the plant to establish itself more quickly in the soil. You can either buy angelica as a young plant or sow it beforehand indoors. Start growing the angelica seeds indoors from February to April and then transplant them outside from mid-April to August. Keep in mind that the perennial can spread, so leave at least one metre between plants to ensure that they do not overgrow each other and develop optimally.

Angelica can also be sown in rows for a more intense production. At the end of August, sow the seeds one to two cm deep, up to five seeds per each metre of row, then cover with soil and press down well. The plant is not expected to flower in its first year.

Tip: Make sure that no other umbellifers have grown in your chosen spots in recent years to avoid pests and an accumulation of pathogens. These include carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus), celery (Apium graveolens), parsley (Petroselinum crispum), caraway (Carum carvi) and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare).

How to care for angelica plants

Angelica’s water and nutrient supply in the garden should mimic its natural habitat on riverbanks and marshy meadows. This is the best way to care for angelica root:

• Watering: Angelica loves moist soil conditions. Make sure to give it plenty of water, especially if the soil is dry.
• Fertilising: The plants need a lot of nutrients. Add liquid fertiliser to the water and feed it every second week from May until flowering. For example, mix our Plantura Liquid Flower Food into the water and you will be rewarded with lush flowers.
• Weeding: When the angelica plant is still young, weed regularly to reduce the competition for nutrients and water. Once the large leaves cover the ground, weeding will no longer be necessary.
• Pruning: Cut back the shoot tips of young angelica plants a few times to encourage bushy growth.

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Tip: To save time and effort, mulch around the plant with green cuttings or bark mulch. This keeps the soil moist, helping angelica to grow faster.

Angelica as a medicinal plant: effect and use

Angelica roots are said to have the widest range of healing properties. To extract the ingredients, dig up the root shortly before flowering and clean it. Whether dried or fresh, angelica roots can be infused as a tea and drunk to treat gastrointestinal issues. Angelica tea stimulates appetite, relieves bloating and flatulence and also has antispasmodic properties. Angelica tastes very spicy, somewhat sweetish, but also pungent and bitter. The roots and other parts of the plant are said to have many other healing properties; however, more research is still needed to verify these effects.

Angelica can also be used in the kitchen. For example, you can caramelise the stems and root pieces to make a sweet that is easy on the stomach. Young leaves and stems can also be used in salads. The stems can also be used like celery or in jams and inventive chutneys.

Is angelica poisonous?

Caution! Angelica sap, when combined with UV rays from the sun, can cause skin irritation. Extensive sunbathing after coming into contact with angelica is therefore not advisable. It is a good idea to be cautious and use gloves when pruning and tending to the plant in the sun.

Angelica is classified as mildly toxic, so do not consume excessive quantities at once. Pregnant and breastfeeding women in particular should avoid the plant.

Yarrow is another lovely perennial with healing powers for your garden. Read our article to find out which are the most beautiful yarrow species and varieties.