Angelica essential oil is used as an ingredient in wormwood.
An herb is a plant whose leaves, seeds, or flowers are used to flavor food or in medicine. Other uses for herbs include cosmetics, tinctures, and perfumes. The name derives from the Latin word herba, which means “green plantations”. Angelica archangelica, often simply called angelica or garden angelica, but also known as wild celery, is a member of the Apiaceae or parsley family, along with anise, cumin, carrot, dill and fennel. Other varieties include Angelica atropurpurea, known as American angelica or purple angelica.
History. Angelica was common in Victorian gardens, and the stems were eaten in salads. The herb was also considered a protection against the plague. Some explain that its name derives from the fact that it flourished at the old-style feast of Michael the Archangel on May 8.
Description. Angelica is a biennial or perennial with a short life. It usually reaches a height of two to three feet (60 to 90 cm) in the first year, and in the second year it produces a six to eight foot (2 to 2.4 m) flower stalk, sometimes reaching the ten feet (ten feet). 3 meters). It occurs in wild and cultivated forms, and the greenish-white flowers bloom from June to August.
Gardening. Angelica prefers moist soil with full sun or partial shade in the heat of the day. It can self-seed, or you can plant seeds in the fall or seedlings in the spring. It grows best in well-drained soil with plenty of water. Cut the stems when they are young so they don’t get tough.
Food and other uses. The roots, stems, leaves, and flowers of angelica are edible. The taste is described as sweet and then bitter. The stems are crystallized for use as confectionery, and in fact its main use involves the crystallized stem as a confectionery decoration. In southern Spain and southwestern France, there is a tradition of carving angelicas.
Angelica leaves are used in fruit dishes, soups, stews, and fish and poultry dishes. Angelica essential oil, found in the roots and seeds, is used in commercial liqueurs – it is an ingredient in wormwood – and also in ice cream and candy. It is also used in perfumery and medicine.