Angelica japonica

Angelica japonica is a perennial in the Apiaceae family. Its native range lies in temperate East Asia. In Japan, it grows on Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Its range also includes the Ryukyu Islands. Plants For A Future places it near Japan’s central and southern shores. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. The name Angelica kiusiana appears as a synonym.

This plant reaches about 3.3 feet [1 metre] tall. The available species account gives no mature width. It lists cultivated beds as a place to grow it. Flowers appear from May to June. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects pollinate the flowers, and the plant is self-fertile. Seeds ripen from June to July, soon after the flowering season.

Plants For A Future says this species needs moist soil. It lists sand, loam, and clay as suitable soil types. It also accepts mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline ground. The species summary says it cannot grow in shade. That account also reports tolerance of coastal exposure. It describes the plant as not frost tender. Yet its cultivation notes say British hardiness remains uncertain. Those notes suggest milder British areas may suit it. They base that view on its native range, not confirmed trials. No precise hardiness zone is supplied.

The propagation notes recommend sowing fresh seed in a cold frame. Seed loses its ability to sprout within a short time. Spring sowing is another option, but fewer seeds may sprout. Seeds need light to germinate, according to the same source. Move seedlings into separate pots once large enough to handle. Keep them in a cold frame through their first winter. Plant them in their final place the next spring. The notes also allow direct sowing as soon as seeds ripen.

Plants For A Future lists leaves as an edible part. It also records seed use as a condiment. Its vegetable-use account does not confirm which part people eat. The source gives edibility a score of three out of five. It records no known medicinal or other uses. It does not flag the plant as a weed. The supplied evidence gives no species-specific pest or disease details. It also leaves pet safety and human toxicity unresolved.