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Anchorage, Alaska
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ANGELICA Angelica. Lucida

Description: Plant Stout plant 1’-3’; 2-3 alter­nate leaves, oval to triangular; umbels with 20-40 rays; green-white flowers; narrow winged fruits.

Habitat: - Meadows, thickets, riverbanks, common along coast.

Uses: - In northwest Alaska, people eat young stems & leaves in oil. Athabascans do not eat Angelica, but use it externally as medicine for aches, pains, cuts & infections; also for tooth­aches, & as a blood purifier; also used for diseases of the lungs - colds, coughs, breathing problems. It is also used to flavor confections & beverages. Angelica oil is imported into the USA. Besides uses for herbal medicines, Angelica is used in perfumery & to flavor liqueurs - it is used with Juniper berries by gin distillers. An oil of Angelica is obtained from the seeds (presently only A. archangelica. is used) by distillation with steam, the vapor being condensed & the oil separated by gravity. 

Special Harvest or Processing Comments: Dig roots in spring or fall. Roots need to be dried rapidly, then kept in airtight containers. Roots should be split for efficient drying. Seeds are gathered when fully ripe & then dried completely. In Alaska, care must be taken not to confuse A. lucida with Cicuta sp., poison water hemlock. They look similar, but the root of poison hemlock is "chambered", ie, you will find separated hollow gaps in the root if you split it sideways. Also, there is some doubt about the safety of A. genuflecta, as reports of numbness to the hands when digging have been received.