Angelicas are aromatic and medicinal plants in the Apiaceae family and the Peucedaneae tribe. The Angelica genus comprises some 80 known species, mostly found in the northern hemisphere. Angelica archangelica is the species best known in Europe for its therapeutic and culinary properties. The latter is still used in our countries only in the form of candied stems for Winter Solstice cakes. However, angelica is still widely consumed in northern Europe, Iceland, Lapland, Norway and Siberia. The stems are eaten with bread and butter. The leaves are a good substitute for tea. Roots ground and added to flour for rye bread improve digestion. The Lapps even preserve fish in angelica leaves. Europeans still use it today to flavor wines and liqueurs. Still called "fairy herb" in our countryside, its name Angelica archangelica is highly evocative. It was one of Paracelsus' favorite plants, and in the middle of the millennium, during various epidemics, it was highly reputed for its protective powers. Its first name was Angelica, the guardian angel. Today, as fears and anxieties invade human life from all sides, Angelica Archangelica is surely a plant of choice to entrust to our gardens. Researchers have discovered fungicidal and antibacterial properties in its essential oil. In Europe, this plant has mainly been used to treat colds, bronchitis, coughs, urinary disorders and indigestion. Chinese pharmacopoeia mentions at least ten species of angelica, the most common being Angelica sinensis. Angelica is widely used in China, much more so than ginseng, which shows the esteem in which it is held by Chinese medicine. In 1629, Parkinson, in his treatise Paradise in Sole, also asserted the supremacy of angelica over all other medicinal plants.
