description Wild Angelica Overview
Wild angelica is a common name used for tall perennial plants in the carrot family, including the North American species Angelica atropurpurea. This species grows in moist meadows, streambanks, and woodland openings and bears large compound leaves and rounded umbels of small greenish-white flowers. Various Indigenous peoples used angelica species in traditional medicine, but identification matters because the carrot family also contains dangerously poisonous plants.
help Wild Angelica FAQ
What plant does the name wild angelica usually refer to?
Wild angelica is a common name for several tall perennial plants in the carrot family, Apiaceae. In North America it often refers to Angelica atropurpurea, also called purple-stemmed or great angelica.
How can you identify Angelica atropurpurea?
It can grow from about 3 to 10 feet tall, with dark purple stems, large compound leaves, and rounded white to greenish-white flower umbels. The flowers usually appear from June through September. [Missouri Botanical Garden plant profile](https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/plantfinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=254204)
Where does wild angelica grow best?
Angelica atropurpurea prefers moist to wet soil in streambanks, wet meadows, swamps, and woodland openings. In cultivation it is commonly listed for USDA hardiness zones 4 through 7 and can grow in full sun or part shade.
Can you eat wild angelica?
Some sources describe the young stems of Angelica atropurpurea as historically cooked and eaten, but wild foraging requires a confirmed identification. The Apiaceae family includes dangerous lookalikes, so a photograph or common name is not enough to establish that a plant is safe.
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