Angelica is a genus of about 90 species of tall biennial and perennial herbs in the family Apiaceae, native to temperate and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, reaching as far north as Iceland, Sápmi, and Greenland.

[5] The active ingredients of angelica are found in the roots and rhizomes[6] and contains furocoumarins in its tissues, which make the skin sensitive to light.

The radix of Angelica dahurica is widely used as an herbal remedy in traditional Chinese medicine and is known as bai zhi.

A. atropurpurea is found in North America from Newfoundland west to Wisconsin and south to Maryland, and was smoked by Missouri tribes for colds and respiratory ailments.

The boiled roots of angelica were applied internally and externally to wounds by the Aleut people in Alaska to speed healing.