Angelica atropurpurea - Purple Angelica

Angelica atropurpurea, the Purple Angelica, is a large perennial for moist to wet soil native to North America. It is recognised by its thick, hollow stems, purplish red to wine-red, bearing large greenish-white umbels in summer. It is at home on a bank, in a damp meadow or at the back of a large moist border. Its upright habit is elegant and its flowers are useful to pollinating insects.

This species belongs to the family Apiaceae, formerly called Umbelliferae. It is called purple angelica, blackish-purple angelica and dark purple angelica; in nurseries, purple-stemmed angelica is also found. Its main botanical synonyms are Archangelica atropurpurea, Selinum atropurpureum, Angelica atropurpurea var. occidentalis and Angelica laurentiana. This botanical species grows in eastern Canada and a large part of the northern and eastern United States. It is found along rivers, on damp banks, in marshes, wet meadows, ditches and damp woodland, on rich, sometimes lime-bearing soils. It is a deciduous herbaceous perennial: its above-ground vegetation disappears in winter and regrows from the stump in spring. Its perennial character needs qualification: the plant may live for several years as a rosette before flowering, but it generally behaves as a short-lived perennial that dies after producing its seeds. Its dimensions vary greatly depending on the site. In moist garden soil, it can reach 90 cm; in a deep, damp, fertile bank it often grows between 1.50 m and 2 m, sometimes more. Its stems are smooth, robust, hollow, coloured violet or dark purple, with conspicuous leaf sheaths. The compound leaves are divided into ovate, dentate leaflets, bright green to dark green. The basal leaves can become very large and form a generous mass before flowering. Flowering occurs from June to August depending on the climate. The flowers are small, greenish-white to cream, grouped in large umbels 10 to 20 cm in diameter. They are visited by hoverflies, small bees, flies and beetles. The fruits are flattened, oval seeds that can self-seed spontaneously on bare, moist soil. It is a taprooted plant that does not like to be moved. Its hardiness is excellent: -29 °C to -34 °C.

In the garden, this angelica thrives in soil that never dries out. The bank of a pond, a planted ditch or a damp meadow suit it. Allow it a little space so that its purple stems are not lost in the vegetation. To accompany it, you can choose Filipendula rubra ‘Venusta’, Iris versicolor ‘Kermesina’ to be planted lower down, near the water, and Eupatorium maculatum ‘Purple Bush’ to be placed in the background. In moist partial shade, it can be paired with the magnificent purple-brown foliage of Rodgersia pinnata ‘Bronze Peacock’.