What Is Angelica?

Description

Angelica  has stems as tall as eight feet and the leaves can grow two feet long so this would be a great herb to plant in the rear of your herb garden. It's life cycle is biennial and it grows good in zones 4 to 9. The flowers are great-rounded Queen-Anne's lace-like umbels that can grow up to ten inches in diameter and this has several small green honey-scented flowers. On the second or third year of growth, the plants will bloom in June or July. The plants will die back during winter. All of the plant's parts have a mild licorice flavor with a small spicy taste. The fragrance of the Angelica is faintly sweet.

How To Grow

Their seeds has to be fresh for them to germinate. The seeds have to be gather when they  are ripe in late summer or early fall and then they will need to sow them where  they are going to be grown, because Angelica is very difficult to transplant. Their seeds has to have light for them to be able to germinate and you will need to refrigerate purchased seed until planting. They like to have particle shade to grow in, but will grow in the shade and if you are planning on growing angelica in the sun, they will need to be mulched real well. The soil needs to be moderately moist, slight acid. Plant each herb two feet apart. You will need to watch out for these pests aphids, spider mites, earwigs, and leaf miners, and the disease is crown rot.

Harvesting

To harvested the angelica the leaves and stems need to be done in the morning after all of the dew has dried off of them, in spring and summer but before the herb has flower. You need to collect the seeds in late summer. After the first year of growth, you will need to dig the roots.

How To Harvest

You will need to cut the stems where the leaf attaches to the stem several inches above ground level. Then take all of the leaves from the cut stems. When the seed heads are nearly ripe, this is when they need to be put in a bag. Dig the roots up in dry weather only with a shovel or spade.

How To Dry Angelica

Seeds can be put in cakes and beverages and used chopped stems to  desserts. The leaves can be put in acidic fruits like rhubarb to give the rhubarb a sweeter taste.