Like my article of two weeks ago about Polygonaceae, this article focuses on one plant family, and it's contributions to ornamental gardening. Umbelliferae is a very interesting family indeed. It comprises root crops like parsnips and carrots, and herbs with feathery foliage like dill and fennel. The edible seeds it contributes include cumin, again fennel, and coriander. Some are poisonous. And some are grown as ornamentals.
What is an Umbel? Umbelliferous plants are so named because of their umbels of flowers. The rounded heads often look like umbrellas. Often the flowers are white and fragrant. Sometimes the flower head has a group of coloured leaves just underneath, as in the Astrantias and Eryngiums.
I like Umbelliferous plants for their general easy-going form and strong enthusiastic growth habits. But there are just as many reasons to like them as there are to hate them. Some are pernicious weeds, as the first in my Umbelliferous group will quickly demonstrate.
Goutweed Aegopodium podagraria (AKA Ground Elder) makes a great edging or groundcover for shade. Variegated varieties can add light tones to a dark corner, and they look really nice in pots and windowboxes. It is very commonly planted, and can become a weed in open areas, particularly where there is nothing else covering the ground. In May they shoot up short heads of white flowers, normally to about 18 inches (45 cm).
Angelica Angelica archangelica is a very large growing short-lived perennial. For several years, only basal leaves will appear. In the second or third year, usually a flower stalk appears, sending fragrant white umbels of flowers up to 6 feet or even more. This one makes a very nice bold backdrop, or an interesting effect down narrow alleys and walkways between buildings.
The unfortunate truth is that Angelicas generally die after they flower. Sometimes the plant can be saved by cutting off the flowers before they go to seed, but often it is too late. This is what you call Monocarpic (mono = one, carpic = body).
If you want continuous shows of Angelica year after year, you will need to establish a bed of them. Let them naturalize and there will generally be a few in bloom each summer.
Masterwort Astrantia major is the most commonly available Masterwort, and possibly the easiest to grow. It's dainty heads of greenish-white flowers arise in late spring and early summer. Like many umbelliferous plants, this one is shade-appreciating.
