Herb: Wild Angelica


Latin name: Angelica sylvestris


Synonyms: Angelica montana


Family: Umbelliferae



Medicinal use of Wild Angelica:

The root and the seeds are antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic, and tonic. This plant is less rich in active principles than A. archangelica and so is much less used medicinally than that species, but a decoction is sometimes used in the treatment of bronchial catarrh, coughs and dyspepsia. Large doses have the effect of depressing the central nervous system.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Biennial


Height:
150 cm
(5 feet)

Flowering:
July to
September

Habitat of the herb:

Moist fields and hedgerows, open woods, marshes and fens, not usually found on acid soils.

Edible parts of Wild Angelica:

Leaves, young shoots and stems - used as an aromatic addition to salads, or cooked and used as a vegetable. The taste is somewhat bitter. The chopped leaves are a good addition to cooked acid fruits, especially rhubarb. The stem and leafstalks are used in candies and sweetmeats. Seed - used as an aromatic flavouring in confections and pastries. Root - cooked.

Other uses of the herb:

The pulverized fruits are used to kill head parasites. A good yellow dye is obtained from the plant (the report does not specify which part of the plant).

Propagation of Wild Angelica:

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe since the seed only has a short viability. Seed can also be sown in the spring, though germination rates will be lower. It requires light for germination. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter, planting them out into their permanent positions in the spring. The seed can also be sow in situ as soon as it is ripe.

Cultivation of the herb:

Moist fields and hedgerows, open woods, marshes and fens, not usually found on acid soils.

Known hazards of Angelica sylvestris:

All members of this genus contain furocoumarins, which increase skin sensitivity to sunlight and may cause dermatitis.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.