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Angelica atropurpurea - (image 1 of 7)

Taxonomy

Family: Apiaceae

Habitat

Calcareous woodland, marshes, fens. Prefers flowing calcareous groundwater.

Associates

Distribution

Labrador west to MN, south to DE, WV, and IN.

Morphology

Robust biennial or perennial to 2 m. Leaves long petiolate, to 30 cm, progressively reduced in size up the stem; leaflets sharply serrate. Stems purple-tinged. Flowers in umbels to 20 cm wide, rays 20-45; fruit round and flattened, 4-6.5 mm, membranous.

Notes

Flowers May to June

Wetland Indicator: Obligate

This plant is edible and can be used like celery or candied. However, plants in this family can be confused with the extremely toxic water hemlock Cicuta maculata, and a mistake in identification can prove deadly.

References

Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY

Peterson, L. A. 1977. A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America.

Houghton Mifflin Company. New York, NY

Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.

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