Tuesday, June 23, 2015

In The Garden - Angelica

Angelica Archangelica is a biennial (2 year plant) that grows between 5 to 7 feet tall. In the second year it will flower with these large seed heads and the stalks that go off to the sides with slightly smaller seed heads on them. It can easily look like a person/plant. The colonists felt that Angelica offered the protection of the Angels to their homestead and would plant this stately herb at the entrance to the garden.
Fresh Angelica is delicious crystalized and candied. It also can be made in to a wonderful syrup for ice cream. It likes cold weather and is one of the first herbs up in the spring and will start to phase out now that it is very hot out. It grows wild along the roadsides in Scandinavian countries, Iceland and even down into France and Spain. It is often used in liqueurs, absinthe and other digestives.
This Angelica was named after this herb and her middle name is Bertha to honor both her maternal and paternal grandmothers! This Angelica loves ice cream and has grown quite tall and strong.

2 comments:

Marilyn Miller said...

Hi Angelica! I know I have seen the herb along road sides in the US, but not sure where. I didn't know you could do all that with it.

Linda Jennings said...

Angelica is growing into a very pretty young lady. An Angelica herb? I have learned so many fun facts from your blog! I just wish I could remember them all...