There are several kinds of angelica

I believe many people don’t know what types of angelica there are. When we buy angelica, we usually go to the pharmacy, but it is best to choose angelica slices, which are easier to distinguish between good and bad. It is best not to choose angelica powder. Therefore, it is recommended that we should understand the types of angelica so that we can choose medicinal materials with higher nutritional value. Angelica is mainly divided into Eastern angelica and European angelica.

Types of Angelica:

1. Angelica sinensis

It comes from the Apiaceae family Angelica sinensis, also known as Yamato Angelica, Japanese Angelica, and Yanbian Angelica. In some areas of Northeast China, angelica is used as medicine. The local Korean ethnic group in Jilin believes that its effects are similar to those of angelica. Oriental Angelica is used as medicine in Japan and Korea. Its root is shorter than that of angelica, with a yellow-brown or tan surface, and has fine longitudinal wrinkles and transversely protruding lenticel-like scars all over. The main root is short with fine ring patterns, 1.5 to 3 cm in diameter, with petiole and stem base marks at the top, mostly concave in the center, and many lateral roots, more than 10 or more. The texture is hard and brittle, the bark is white in cross section, and the wood is yellowish white or yellowish brown. It has a fragrant aroma and tastes sweet then slightly bitter.

2. European Angelica

It is the root of the Umbelliferae plant Angelica sinensis. It was introduced from Bulgaria in 1957. This product is different from angelica in properties and pharmacological effects. It has adverse reactions that angelica does not have and cannot be mixed with angelica for medicinal purposes. The root of Angelica sinensis is conical in shape, with a swollen head, more than two root heads, and horizontal ring patterns. The surface is gray-brown or gray-yellow, and scars from severed lateral roots can be seen. The texture is dry, oilless, slightly tough and easy to break. The cross section is yellowish white with cracks, and the wood is yellowish white with radial texture. The aroma is fragrant but turbid, and the taste is slightly sweet at first and then becomes spicy and numbing.

3. Yunnan wild angelica

The root of Yunnan wild angelica of the Apiaceae family. In Yunnan, it is also called wild angelica. Its effect is similar to that of angelica and it is used as medicine in some areas of Yunnan. Its roots are conical, with few branches, and the surface is brown, reddish brown or black brown. There are stem scars or stem remnants at the top and transverse ring patterns at the root head. The surface has longitudinal wrinkles and lenticel-like scars. It is hard and has a yellowish-white cross section. It has an aroma similar to angelica and tastes slightly sweet then bitter.

4. Xing'an Angelica

The root of Angelica dahurica of the Apiaceae family. It is also called Northeast Dahuo. Angelica sinensis was once introduced and misused in Hunan and Sichuan. The main root is relatively short, with several side roots. The surface is brown or brownish yellow, the texture is dry, and the taste is spicy and numbing.

5. Peucedanum purpurogenum

The root of Peucedanum purpurogenum of the Apiaceae family is also known as Duckfoot Seven and Wild Angelica. Purple flowered Peucedanum is actually genuine medicinal Peucedanum. Its main root is irregular conical, 3 to 6 cm long and 1.8 to 2 cm in diameter. The surface is brown with longitudinal wrinkles, a leaf base scar at the top, and several lateral roots at the bottom, which are 6 to 9 cm long and 0.5 to 0.8 cm in diameter. There are longitudinal wrinkles and transverse lenticel-like scars on the surface. The texture is hard and easy to break. The bark of the broken surface is brown, the wood is yellow-brown, and some broken surfaces are lighter in color. It has an aromatic smell but is different from that of angelica, and tastes slightly spicy.

6. Angelica dahurica

The root of Angelica sinensis of the Umbelliferae family is also the root of the authentic medicinal Angelica dahurica. The root is slightly cylindrical, with 2 to 3 or more branches at the bottom. The root head is enlarged, conical, and has many transverse wrinkles. The surface is gray-brown or tan, with longitudinal wrinkles, transversely raised lenticels and fine root marks. The texture is hard but becomes soft when exposed to moisture. The cross-section of the cortex is off-white with scattered brown oil chambers, the wood is off-white to yellow-brown, and the cambium ring is brown. It has a unique aroma, tastes bitter and spicy with a slight numbing effect on the tongue.

7. Duhuo

The root of Angelica dahurica of the Umbelliferae family. In some areas of Jilin, it is also called wild angelica, wild angelica and fresh angelica. It was once used as medicine instead of angelica. The root head of the large Angelica dahurica is short and thick, with ring patterns on the surface, a leaf base mark on the top, and several lateral roots below. Longitudinal wrinkles and transverse lenticel-like scars can be seen on the surface, and in some cases, brown viscous resinous substances can be seen exuding. It is brittle and easy to break, with the bark being grayish white and the wood being yellowish white. It has a fragrant aroma and tastes slightly sweet and then bitter.

Since the plant varieties called angelica or wild angelica from ancient times to the present are relatively complex, in addition to the above-mentioned confusing varieties, there are more than 20 species called wild angelica in the Umbelliferae family, and four or five species called wild angelica in the Araliaceae family. In addition, the roots of many plants belonging to the Asteraceae, Polygonaceae, Ranunculaceae, etc. are also called wild angelica in some areas. Faced with such a complex situation, we should start by mastering the color, aroma and taste of authentic angelica.