Often the glamorous star of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show gardens, Angelica archangelica, with its jaw-dropping dramatic flower orbs, is one you can sow from seed in your own garden to produce the same display of architectural splendour.

Angelica archangelica, often referred to as garden angelica to differentiate it from wild angelica, is a biennial, which means it grows and develops leaves and stems in the first year and then flowers and dies in the second year. This means you will need to sow seeds two years running if you want to enjoy angelica‘s majestic flowers every year.

This hardyplant reliably flowers from May to July with huge, lime-green, umbelliferous flowerheads, which contrast with often pink-flushed stems, followed by delicate seed pods which extend the season of interest.

Angelica makes a strong architectural statement and works well at the back of a border alongside grasses and other tall plants such as foxglove, Digitals purpurea, or as part of a cottage garden style.

The flowers are a joy for pollinators and the seeds are eaten by birds.

According to some botanists, Angelica archangelica is believed to be a native of Syria from where it has spread to many cool European climates, naturalising and growing abundantly in countries further north, such as Lapland and Iceland.

How to Grow Angelica

Where to Plant

Angelica is best planted in a deep, moist but well-drained soil in an area of partial shade to protect it from intense heat. It is not suited to container growing unless you can ensure that the container is large enough to cope with the heights of 1.5–2.2m (5–8ft) tall which the plant will reach.

How to Sow

Sow seeds in late spring or autumn in modules or simply directly into the soil. Sow onto the surface of the soil or compost as the seeds need light to germinate. Seeds of Angelica archangelica deteriorate quickly, so ensure you sow fresh seeds. Set the plants out if sowing in modules before they get taller than 10cm (4in) as they grow a long taproot and transplanting is more difficult if they get larger.

It will also self-seed freely if it is happy in the planting situation. Young seedlings and plants are very attractive to slugs and snails so be vigilant. 

Watering

Angelica is not drought tolerant and prefers consistently moist soil, so keep it well-watered. It is best to choose a moist, fertile site in the garden for planting.

Staking

You may need to provide support for the plants to prevent them from flopping over in windy conditions.

Dividing

You can cut back the stems and dig up the plant in the autumn of its second year, dividing the roots with a sharp knife. Repot these divisions into compost or directly into the soil where they are to grow.

What’s in a Name?

The name angelica probably comes from the Greek arkangelos, archangel. or angelos, meaning messenger due to the myth that it was the Angel Gabriel who told of its use as a medicine. Or it may have arisen because it blooms around the 8th May, St Michael’s, the Archangel’s Day.

Alternatively, according to one legend, angelica was revealed in a dream by the archangel to a monk as a cure for the bubonic plague. All parts of the plant were believed effective against evil spirits and witchcraft, and it was held in such esteem, considered the most powerful of herbs, that it became known as ‘The Root of the Holy Ghost’.

Culinary Uses of Angelica

Angelica is a genus of about 60 species of tall biennial and perennial herbs from the Apiaceae (formerly the Umbelliferae) family of carrots, parsnips, celery, parsley, and coriander. The entire plant is edible from root to seed, all with a taste of liquorice. You can use the leaves fresh from spring onwards in salads and for drying from early summer until flowering.

It you cook rhubarb or gooseberries with young angelica leaves, you will need to add less sugar. Angelica does not sweeten the fruit but its muscatel flavour cuts through the acidity of the rhubarb.

Its best known use is as a decorative confectionery for cakes that is made by simmering the young tender springtime shoots and then storing in sugar. The root is well known as a botanical in the production of gin, providing a savoury or umami flavour and giving body and weight to other botanicals, namely coriander and juniper.

It is also cultivated commercially for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. This bitter-sweet herb is a warming tonic with stimulating properties for the lungs and is also used as an aid to digestion. Dried angelica root acts as a perfume fixative and can be used as a substitute for Iris germanica in potpourri.

A Word of Warning

The garden angelica, Angelica archangelica, is widely cultivated as a garden plant, but wild angelica, Angelica sylvestris, is found in moist fields and hedgerows throughout Europe. Its appearance, although smaller, can look similar to several poisonous species so should not be consumed unless it has been identified with absolute certainty, which you can ensure if you grow it from seed and label the plant. Like many of the Apiaceae family, the sap from the stems, if picked on a hot sunny day, can cause burns to the skin.

Varieties to Try

Angelica blooms and stems vary in colour from lime-green and pink, through to deep purple and red tones.

Angelica sylvestris purpurea ‘Vicar’s Mead’

This is a dark-stemmed beauty with dark purple leaves and dusky lavender flowers that reaches 2m (6ft 7in) in height.

Angelica gigas

Angelica gigas also known as Korean angelica has rich purple, domed flower heads that appear in late summer and make good cut flowers.