Angelica

Angelica (Angelica archangelica)

Angelica is a majestic biennial herb with towering umbels of pale greenish-white flowers and aromatic foliage. Revered for centuries in traditional European medicine and culinary arts, this northern native herb offers both beauty and utility in the landscape. With its hollow, ridged stems and bold, architectural form, Angelica adds a dramatic vertical accent to herb gardens and woodland edges. Medicinally, it’s prized for its warming, stimulating properties and as a digestive aid.

Key Characteristics

• Traditional Medicinal Use – Root & Seed
  Angelica root and seed have been widely used in European herbal traditions as a carminative and digestive stimulant. The root is decocted or tinctured to relieve bloating, indigestion, and cold-related respiratory issues, while the seeds are used in bitters and herbal liqueurs like Chartreuse.

• Culinary and Aromatic Uses
  Angelica's young stems and leaf stalks can be candied for confections or added to preserves. The seeds are highly aromatic, lending a musky-sweet, herbal flavor to liqueurs, syrups, and baked goods. Its strong, perfumed scent can also be used in potpourris and homemade incense blends.

• Supports Beneficial Insects
  The large compound umbels bloom from June to August, attracting a wide array of beneficial insects including hoverflies, predatory wasps, bees, and butterflies. These insects contribute to natural pest control in companion plantings.

• Ornamental and Ecological Landscaping
  Angelica thrives in moist, rich soil and partial shade, making it perfect for woodland gardens, herb spirals, and along streambanks. In permaculture systems, it serves as an aromatic pest confuser and insectary plant, often included in fruit tree guilds and medicinal herb beds.

Product Details

• Native range: Northern and Central Europe, Western Asia

• Plant life cycle: Biennial (flowers in year two)

• Sun requirements: Part shade to full sun (prefers partial shade)

• Soil requirements: Medium to medium-wet, rich soils

• Mature height: 4–6 feet (can reach up to 8 feet in ideal conditions)

• Bloom time: June to August

• Bloom color: Pale greenish-white

• USDA Hardiness zones: 4–9

For a bold addition to the herb garden with centuries of healing legacy, Angelica is unmatched. Just be sure to provide rich soil and space for its dramatic second-year flowering.