Angelica seeds planted in the fall, either in seed trays inside or directly into the garden will come up earlier and stronger than spring plantings.

Angelica is a dramatic addition to any herb garden because it grows to a height of 6 to 8 feet! An important factor to consider when thinking about where to plant this herb.

Angelica is a biennial, a member of the parsley family, and usually only blooms every two or three years. When the blossoms do appear, in mid to late summer, they tower above everything in the garden with globes of tiny yellow or white flowers. As they mature, the flowers produce small oval seeds. It is best to plant the seeds right away, but they can also be refrigerated in an airtight jar for later planting, either directly in the ground, or by starting them in seed trays.

Angelica prefers a warm, but not a hot climate with filtered shade and rich soil.

All parts of the plant can be used. The roots are best in the fall of the first year, the stems and leaves are at their peak in the spring of the second year, and the seeds are ready for use when mature.

Angelica's flavor is delicate and sweet, similar to celery. Because of this, it is often called wild celery. Angelica goes very well with fish. The leaves have a strong, clean taste and make an interesting addition to salads. The chopped stems can be added to stewed fruits, like rhubarb, to reduce the tartness and lessen the need for sugar. Use the leaves, finely chopped, when cooking squash or pumpkin to bring out their natural sweetness. The root, ground into a powder, has a bit stronger, earthy flavor, and is used in cookies, cakes, breads and muffins.

The most familiar use of Angelica is candied. The stems are sugared and used to decorate cakes and desserts. It is Angelica that was the original green candy in fruit cakes.

There are many different explainations of how Angelica got it's holy name. One story tells of a monk back in 1665 who met an angel in his dreams. The angel told him about a plant that could cure the plague. The monk took the advice from his dream and boiled angelica, treacle and nutmeg together into a tea. I do not know if the treatment worked, but loved the story. Another explaination of the name speculates that the plant got it's name from the fact that Angelica comes into bloom around May 8, the feast day of St. Michael the Archangel.

Wash: 2 cups angelica roots and young stalks

Place them in a crock. Pour over to cover:
1/2 cup salt
2 cups boiling water

Cover crock and let the angelica soak for 24 hours. Drain, peel and wash in cold water.

Cook to 238°: 2 cups sugar
2 cups water

Add the cleaned angelica roots and stems. Cook for 20 minutes. Drain the angelica, but reserve sirup. Put the angelica on a wire rack in a cool, dark place for 4 days. Then bring the sirup and roots to 238° and cook 20 minutes or until the sirup candies the roots. Drain on a rack until thoroughly dry. Store tightly covered.