Wild Celery

Angelica lucida
Apiaceae/Wild Celery Family

Wild Celery grows in meadows, coastal areas and riverbanks. It has a stout reddish stem and grows 3-4' tall. The leaves are compound and the leaflets have serrated margins. The greenish white flowers are concentrated at the top of the plant and are numerous in 20-45 compact heads. The stems and leaf stalks are edible and the roots and young plants are important spring food for bears.

The genus Angelica is Latin for "angel" and is derived from Archangelica - a name applied to a plant that was revealed by an archangel to be a remedy for cholera and plague. The species name lucida means "glittering" or "shining" and may refer to the pale color of the plant.