Woodland Angelica
(Angelica sylvestris)

Name and Family

Woodland Angelica (Angelica sylvestris)

History

Coming soon.

Identification Guide

Here are some key features that may help to positively identify Woodland Angelica:

  • A robust plant, growing up to 2m tall
  • Stem is bamboo-like, sparsely branched, smooth with fine hairs on the upper portion, and often has purple joints
  • Flowers are white to lilac-tinged, and form in clusters on umbrella-like flower heads
  • Leaves are large and pinnately compound. Leaflets are ovate with toothed edges, sometimes lobed (terminal leaf usually unlobed)
  • Reproduction occurs solely by seed
  • Present in Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI
  • Woodland Angelica has several lookalikes on PEI, including its relatives Purple-stemmed Angelica (Angelica atropurpurea) and Seaside Angelica (Angelica lucida), and fellow invasive, Common Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)

CAUTION! Woodland Angelica contains a toxin that can cause irritation when it contacts skin and is exposed to sunlight (ultraviolet light).

What it does in the ecosystem

Woodland Angelica will tolerate full sunlight or full shade, but prefers moist soils. It is often found growing in disturbed roadside habitats, forest edges and open moist areas.

Management

Coming soon.

  • Woodland Angelica leaves
  • Woodland Angelica inflorescence leaflets
  • Woodland Angelica inflorescence closeup
  • Woodland Angelica inflorescence

References

Coming soon.