Angelica

Latin Name: Angelica Archangelica

Common Names:  Archangel, Garden Angelica, Wild Celery, Ground Ash, Masterwort, Norwegian Angelica

 Parts Used: Roots, Rhizomes, Leaves, Fruits, Fresh Young Stems

Association: Root/Heart Chakras, Leo, The Sun, 

Energetics: Warming, Drying

Element: Fire

History: Its name is derived from 'angelic', a reference to the European lore that Archangel Gabriel imparted knowledge of the herb during the Great Plague. Others say the name comes from the plant blossoming on the day of Archangel Michael, and for this reason, it is considered a protective agent against evil. Among the Sami people in Scandinavia, it served as a shamanic medicine. Native American tribes worked with various Angelica varieties into rituals. 

How To Take: In powder, tea or tincture form. Can also be used topically as a plaster or poultice.  

Contraindications: Should be used in caution for those with digestive conditions such as acid reflux, peptic ulcers and general hyper-acidity, due to it being a stimulating bitter. Larger doses should be overseen by a herbalist or doctor as excessive tincture dosage may lead to CNS paralysis. Full doses require breaks every 2 weeks. It is contraindicated in pregnancy and for diabetics.

Activity: Alterative, aromatic, antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, warming diaphoretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, resolvent, stimulant, stomachic, tonic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, bitter, circulatory stimulant, nervine

Uses: Good for treating a weak stomach/digestive system, anxiety, lack of appetite, anorexia, flatulence, chronic gastritis and chronic enteritis, and helps to reduce accumulation of toxins, arthritis, gout, rheumatism and water retention. May also help with headaches. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Angelica is used for conditions characterised by dampness and cold in the intestines, accompanied by an underlying deficiency in Spleen Qi. It is also used for chronic lung issues involving phlegm and cold syndromes that manifest with painful wheezing. Topically applied, it helps with body pain such as stiffness of the joints and muscle pains, as well as eczema and some acne breakouts.

Nutrients & Constituents: Vitamin B12, thiamin, folic acid, biotin and minerals such as magnesium, thiamin, potassium, iron, riboflavin, while the roots contain glucose, sucrose, and fructose.

Plant Description: A tall, aromatic plant with a dark purple, hollow stem, reaching 4 to 6 feet or more. Its dark green leaves are divided into three parts, serrated and sometimes lobed, with lower leaves growing up to 2 feet wide. The branched root is 3 to 6 inches long, thick, and fleshy. Angelica produces small yellowish or greenish-white flowers in large, compound umbels in July, followed by pale yellow, oblong fruits measuring 1/6 to 1/4 inch in length when ripe, forming round heads up to 10 inches in diameter! Be very cautious when identifying Angelica, as it looks startlingly similar to Hemlock (which is poisonous)!

Cultivation: Angelica prefers damp soil and grows well near running water in woodland, dappled shade, or shady edges. It's resilient, enduring adverse conditions and winter frost. Keep the soil consistently moist in slightly acidic conditions. Angelica can tolerate light shade but will grow in the sun with proper mulching. Plant fresh seeds outdoors in spring for successful germination.