Herb: Giant Angelica


Latin name: Angelica gigas


Synonyms: Angelica cryptotaeniifolia


Family: Umbelliferae



Medicinal use of Giant Angelica:

The root is used in Korea to treat anaemia, hemiplegia and women's diseases. It ontains a number of active compounds and has been shown to increase duodenum motility and have an anti-platelet aggregation action.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
180 cm
(6 feet)

Habitat of the herb:

Grassy places and open woods in the mountains.

Edible parts of Giant Angelica:

Young leaves - cooked.

Propagation of the herb:

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 Giant Angelica:

Grassy places and open woods in the mountains.

Known hazards of Angelica gigas:

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.