Angelica, European angelica, Garden angelica
Angelica archangelica
Family: Apiaceae
What it is like
A plant which keeps growing from year to year. It grows to 2 m tall and spreads 1.5 m across. It has stout stems. They are long, thick and hollow and like celery. The leaves are large and have teeth around the edge. The leaves are made of several leaflets. The flowers are small and greenish-yellow. They are produced in clusters. They occur during the second year of growth.
There are 50 Angelica species. They are temperate plants. It has anticancer properties.
Where it is found
A cool temperate plant. It needs well drained soils. The soil needs to be fertile. Melbourne Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 4-9. In temperate countries it grows between 1,000-4,000 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Arctic, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia, Canada, Caucasus, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Europe, Faroe Islands, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Himalayas ,Hungary, Iceland, India, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Middle East, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, North America, Northeastern India, Norway, Russia, Scandinavia, Serbia, Siberia, Sikkim, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Sweden, Tasmania, Ukraine
How it is used for food
The stems and leaves are crystallised and used as sweets and to decorate cakes. Leaves can be used to make a herbal tea. The stems, roots and leaves are boiled and eaten as a vegetable. Oil from the roots and seeds is used to flavour liqueurs. The flowers can be eaten with fish.
It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is also regarded as a famine food.
Edible parts
Fruit, seeds, leaves, stems, herb, spice, vegetable, roots - tea, oil, flowers
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed. Seeds need to be sown fresh.
Its other names
Local names
Andelika lekarska, Budhi ankhati, Ganano, Kvann, Tuntok-neyeak, Zdravilni gozdni koren
Synonyms
Angelica officinalis Moench; Archangelica officinalis (Moench) Hoffm.; and several others