Angelica
Angelica
archangelica
This
stately and ‘divine’ member of the Parsley family (Apiaceae)
is an imposing presence in any garden, with its large globular flowers
on a six-foot stalk. It is harvested for the warm, spicy root, usually
in the first year before the flower stalk appears. Being a biennial,
Angelica dies after flowering, leaving a rotten, empty root behind.
It likes moist soil that is fairly rich and deep: its natural environment
is beside streams in woodland clearings.
Elemental associations: Fire
Phytochemistry: Essential oils, coumarins, bitter principles, tannin
(D. Hoffmann)
Actions: Carminative, diuretic, diaphoretic, relaxant
Specific systems: Digestive, musculature
This is a very special plant. She has one of the more forceful,
powerful spirits I have encountered, while at the same time being
quite gentle and ‘understanding’. The power of Angelica
resides primarily in its warmth and spiciness: it is used to treat
a variety of deficient conditions, lacking in Vital Force, where
the affected systems are almost empty (the way Angelica stalks are,
hollow, as Stephen Buhner once remarked). Its principal use is in
digestive deficiency, and it stimulates appetite quite well, strengthening
a weak stomach and helping to eliminate gas.
Its relaxing power make it a useful remedy for excessive cramping
and muscular inflammation (mostly in ‘cold’ conditions,
where there is some type of blockage; not as much for inflammatory
conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis).
Indications: Digestive upset, flatulence, incomplete digestion,
dismenorrhea, rheumatism
Contraindications: Pregnancy
Preparation/Dosage: A decoction can be made with a TBS of the dry
root in a quart of water, simmered for at least 20 minutes. Alternatively,
the tincture of the fresh root is excellent and quite tasty as an
aperitif, prepared at 50% alcohol, 1:3 to 1:5. Take ½ to
1 tsp. 15 minutes before meals.
