Angelica acutiloba

Angelica acutiloba is an herb from Japan that lives for years. It belongs to Apiaceae, the carrot family. Gardeners also call it Japanese angelica or Dong Dang Gui. Kew gives its home range as south-central Japan. Plants For A Future also lists Hokkaido and Honshu. That source says it grows in the mountains of central Japan. It grows in a temperate climate.

The plant grows upright to about 2.3 feet [0.7 metres]. Its flowers have yellow and green tones. The sources differ a great deal on bloom times. Chicago Botanic Garden lists May and June. Plants For A Future lists September and October instead. That source says seeds ripen in October and November. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects pollinate the flowers. The plant can also set seed with its own pollen. Chicago Botanic Garden notes its value for birds and butterflies.

Grow this plant in full sun or part shade. It needs deep, rich soil that stays moist. It can grow in sand, loam, or clay. Soil may be slightly acid, neutral, or slightly alkaline. These needs suit the edge of a woodland garden. It can also grow where shade lets patches of light through. Chicago Botanic Garden lists USDA hardiness zones 5–7. Plants For A Future says it can withstand frost. Stop it from setting seed to help it live for years.

Fresh seed gives the best chance of growing new plants. Sow it when ripe, as it soon loses the power to sprout. You can start seedlings in a cold frame. The seed needs light to sprout. You can sow in spring, but fewer seeds may sprout. Move each seedling to its own pot when large enough to handle. Keep them in a cold frame through their first winter. Plant them in their final garden spots the next spring. You can also sow ripe seed straight in the ground.

You can eat the young leaves after cooking them. Growers in Japan also raise this plant for use as medicine. People have used the root to treat menstrual problems and dizziness. These past uses do not prove such treatments safe or effective. Plants For A Future warns of furocoumarins throughout the genus. These compounds can make skin more sensitive to sunlight. Contact may cause dermatitis, a form of skin rash. The same source does not flag this plant as weedy.