Plant · P-893

Chinese Angelica

Angelica sinensis

Chinese Angelica, also called dong quai, is an aromatic perennial of the carrot family grown almost entirely for its thick, pungent root, long used in East Asian herbal medicine as a tonic for female reproductive health and as a treatment for menstrual and circulatory complaints. It grows to about a metre tall on a single stem topped with umbrella-like flower clusters, and wants a deep, fertile, consistently moist soil in full sun or light shade, tolerating cool, damp conditions and short freezes to about -5 C. The dried root carries a strong sweet, pungent, faintly bitter aroma and trace coumarin compounds, and the raw plant is classed as an irritant to skin and eyes and a possible respiratory sensitiser, so it is handled with care. It is not used as a food plant, and current safety reviews advise against its use during pregnancy.