Angelica sylvestris
Wild Angelica
a biennial member of the Angelica genus in the family Umbelliferae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Umbelliferae
- Genus
- Angelica
- Life cycle
- biennial
- Height
- 1.5 m
- Fertility
- Self fertile, Bees, Flies, Beetles
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees, Flies, Beetles
Uses
Toxicity
Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
All members of this genus contain furocoumarins, which increase skin sensitivity to sunlight and may cause dermatitis[10].
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Leaves, young shoots and stems - used as an aromatic addition to salads[16], or cooked and used as a vegetable[6][14][17][2][5]. The taste is somewhat bitter[14]. The chopped leaves are a good addition to cooked acid fruits, especially rhubarb[5]. The stem and leafstalks are used in candies and sweetmeats[6][13][1][5]. Seed - used as an aromatic flavouring in confections and pastries[6][16]. Root - cooked[6].
- Product or use
- Condiment
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Root
- Plant part
- Seed
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The root and the seeds are antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic, and tonic[16][2][8][3][9]. This plant is less rich in active principles than A. archangelica and so is much less used medicinally than that species[18][11], but a decoction is sometimes used in the treatment of bronchial catarrh, coughs and dyspepsia[18]. Large doses have the effect of depressing the central nervous system[16].
- Product or use
- Antispasmodic
- Product or use
- Carminative
- Product or use
- Diaphoretic
- Product or use
- Diuretic
- Product or use
- Expectorant
- Product or use
- Stimulant
- Product or use
- Stomachic
- Product or use
- Tonic
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The pulverized fruits are used to kill head parasites[13][15]. A good yellow dye is obtained from the plant (the report does not specify which part of the plant)[12].
- Product or use
- Dye
- Product or use
- Parasiticide
Environment
- Range
- Most of Europe, including Britain, to W. Asia and Siberia.
- Habitat
- Moist fields and hedgerows, open woods, marshes and fens, not usually found on acid soils[16][2].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- permanent shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 5+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe since the seed only has a short viability[7]. Seed can also be sown in the spring, though germination rates will be lower. It requires light for germination[7]. 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
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Requires a deep moist fertile soil in dappled shade or full sun[7]. Succeeds in deep shade. Plants are reliably perennial if they are prevented from setting seed[7].
References
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3
? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30725-8
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219060-5
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202
Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Ceres. Free for All. Thorsons Publishers 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-7225-0445-4
Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2