Angelica sylvestris 'Vicar's Mead' Seeds | Purple Holy Ghost | Biennial Herb | Culinary & Medicinal

Angelica sylvestris ‘Vicar’s Mead’ – Purple Holy Ghost Herb

Angelica sylvestris ‘Vicar’s Mead’ is a breathtaking biennial herb that commands attention in any garden — a cultivated selection of the wild European Angelica, distinguished by its rich, deep reddish-purple to burgundy stems and foliage and large, pink-tinged umbel flowers that fade elegantly to white at maturity. Blooming from June through September, it is as prized as an ornamental specimen and insectary plant as it is for its traditional culinary and medicinal applications.

Slightly more compact than the straight species, growing to approximately 4–5 feet (150 cm), with dramatically dark pinnate leaves and bold flower heads that attract bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects in abundance. An exceptional choice for the naturalistic garden, wildlife area, herb border, or pondside planting. Hardy perennial/biennial in Zones 4–9.

Variety Details

• Botanical Name: Angelica sylvestris ‘Vicar’s Mead’
• Common Names: Purple Holy Ghost, Wild Angelica, Wild Celery
• Family: Apiaceae
• Life Cycle: Biennial (flowers in year 2; self-seeds reliably)
• Foliage: Deep reddish-purple to burgundy — pinnate, lanceolate, serrate
• Flowers: Large umbels of pale pink-purple, fading to white; June–September
• Height: 4–5 feet (150 cm); spacing 3–4 feet (120 cm)
• Hardiness Zones: 4–9
• Light: Partial shade preferred; tolerates full sun
• Soil: Moist, well-draining loam; pH 4.5–7.8
• Uses: Culinary, medicinal, ornamental, insectary, wildlife habitat

Growing from Seed

• Important: Seeds require light to germinate — press seeds onto the surface of moist soil; do NOT bury or cover with soil.
• Best sown in late summer/early fall or early spring; fresh seed germinates most reliably.
• Cold stratification is recommended — refrigerate seeds in damp sand or paper for 4–6 weeks to improve germination rates.
• Germination: 21–28 days at 70°F (21°C), kept consistently moist.
• Transplant to a permanent site in partial shade with moist, well-draining soil — ideally near a water feature or in a shaded border.
• Space plants 3–4 feet apart; plants establish in year one and flower in year two.
• Self-seeds reliably once established — allow seedheads to mature for a self-sustaining colony.

Harvesting & Medicinal Use

• Leaves: Harvest carefully in the first year without over-collecting or damaging the main stem.
• Root: Harvest in late fall of year one, or in spring of year two before flowering.
• Nearly every part of the plant has traditional medicinal applications — roots, stems, leaves, and seeds.
• Historically used as a digestive tonic, expectorant, and warming herb in European folk medicine.

Culinary & Garden Uses

• Young stems and leaf stalks — crystallized in sugar as a traditional confection
• Leaves used to sweeten tart fruits like rhubarb and gooseberries in cooking
• Seeds used to flavor liqueurs, gin, and bitters (Chartreuse, Benedictine)
• Insectary plant — outstanding attractor of bees, hoverflies, and beneficial predatory insects
• Wildlife garden specimen — birds feed on the mature seeds
• Dramatic focal point in naturalistic, cottage, and herb garden designs