Angelica Plants and Herbs
We would probably grow Angelica just because we love the name 'Angelica archangelica', sounds a little like an Italian movie star.
We could also grow it to turn into a liquer, or for medicinal purposes, or perhaps just for its stature in the garden, Angelica archangelica is a good looking plant.
More widely grown than you may think, it is a cottage garden favourite. However it really is a useful herb grown for its roots and is also found in cottage gardens. The young stems of Angelica are sometimes candied or used in the cooking of sour fruits to help reduce acidity. We use it when we cook rhubarb.
Both the roots and the seeds are used to make aromatic oils.
Growing Angelica in the Garden
Angelica prefers a part shaded position in a moist, humus rich loam, it's another relative of parsley, so similar conditions apply.
If you are growing it in the garden border remember that Angelica archangelica will grow to nearly a two foot plant (2/3m) but with flower spikes in mid summer to 6ft (2m) so it needs to go towards the rear of the border. Angelica will self seed, so deadhead to control if needed. You might wish to collect some seeds for sowing the next spring.
Care
As Angelica is a biennial, you may wish to plant some seeds each year. This way you will have a continous supply.
You can start seedlings off indoors and trransplant them out in late spring when they reach around 15 cm (6 inches) in height.
If you choose this method youn will need to plant then in tall tubes, preferably biodegradable pots, as Angelica likes to send down a long tap root. If you break this off when transplanting, ot stunt it in a short pot, them the plant will not thrive. You can use rolled up newspaper tubers.
Preferably plant the seeds directly in spring.
- Keep Moist
- Keep Weed free
- In the second year you will be rewarded with some wonderful flowers.
Angelica archangelica is available for sale online from specialist herb nurseries listed.
NORFOLK HERBS
Tel: +44 (0)1362 860812 Fax: +44 (0)1362 860812
Norfolk Herbs are growers of naturally raised culinary, medicinal and aromatic herb plants for wholesale, retail and mail orde
r supply together with Bay Trees, Scented Pelargoniums and Hand Thrown English Garden Terracotta to give stature, colour, scent and flavour to a window-sill, patio, garden or landscape