Overview

Angelica archangelica is a bushy, clump forming herbaceous perennial in the genus Angelica, part of the Apiaceae family, with deciduous foliage. It typically grows around 1.5-2.5 metres tall and 1-1.5 metres wide, reaching full size in around 2-5 years. Angelica archangelica grows best in partial shade, and tolerates clay and loam soils and any pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H6. Suggested uses include architectural, wildflower meadow, cottage and informal garden, wildlife gardens and flower borders and beds. It is native to Albania, Baltic States, Belarus, Central European Russia, Denmark, East European Russia, Finland, France, Føroyar, Germany, Great Britain and Greenland.

About

Angelica archangelica, commonly known as angelica, garden angelica, wild celery, and Norwegian angelica, is a biennial plant from the family Apiaceae, a subspecies of which is cultivated for its sweetly scented edible stems and roots. Like several other species in Apiaceae, its appearance is similar to several poisonous species (Conium, Heracleum, and others), and should not be consumed unless it has been identified with absolute certainty. It is native to North America, Manizales, Albania, Baltic States, Belarus and other regions. Mature plants reach roughly 1.5-2.5 metres tall and 1-1.5 metres wide, carrying deciduous foliage. In the garden it prefers partial shade and clay and loam soil. It tolerates soil of any pH, moist but well-drained conditions and north-facing, west-facing and east-facing aspects.

Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Angelica archangelica

About the genus

Angelica is a genus of about 90 species of tall biennial and perennial herbs in the family Apiaceae, native to temperate and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, reaching as far north as Iceland, Sápmi, and Greenland. They grow to 1–3 m tall, with large bipinnate leaves and large compound umbels of white or greenish-white flowers. It shows variations in fruit anatomy, leaf morphology, and subterranean structures.

Wikipedia contributors, "Angelica", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Angelica

Growing conditions

Best soil and position for Angelica

Sunlight

Partial shade

Soil type

Clay, Loam

Soil pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

Soil moisture

Moist but well-drained

Aspect

North-facing, West-facing, East-facing

Exposure

Exposed, Sheltered

UK hardiness

H6

Plant details

Angelica archangelica size, habit and characteristics

Plant type

Herbaceous Perennial, Annual Biennial

Habit

Bushy, Clump forming

Foliage

Deciduous

Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Spread

1-1.5 metres

Time to full height

2-5 years

Suggested uses

Architectural, Wildflower meadow, Cottage and informal garden, Wildlife gardens, Flower borders and beds

Native to

Albania, Baltic States, Belarus, Central European Russia, Denmark, East European Russia, Finland, France, Føroyar, Germany, Great Britain, Greenland

Fragrance

Sweetly scented stems and roots with a musky, aromatic fragrance

Care notes

Pruning and caring for Angelica archangelica

Cultivation

Prefers moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter; benefits from partial shade; avoid waterlogged conditions; mulch to retain moisture

Pruning

Remove flower stalks after flowering to prevent self-seeding; cut back dead foliage in late autumn

Propagation

Seed sown in a cold frame with good light, as soon as ripe

Pest resistance

Slugs, Snails, Aphids, Leaf miners

Disease resistance

Powdery mildews

Frequently asked questions