When to Plant Angelica in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide

Sow September to December. Right now in September you can sow.

Published · Last reviewed · By Garden Buddy
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Angelica guide is written for the Cool Temperate zone, which takes in Melbourne, Hobart and Geelong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Canberra Alice Springs Perth

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Angelica

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

A tall, stately biennial herb native to northern Europe, grown for its aromatic stems, leaves and seeds. Angelica prefers cool, moist conditions and struggles in hot Australian summers. Best suited to cool-temperate and cold-highland zones where it can reach 1.5-2m tall.

Planting Calendar for Cool Temperate

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
- - - - - - - - S S/T/D S/T/D T

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

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Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 13.1°C (optimal range: 10–25°C) ✓ Ready to plant

Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Melbourne), not a live sensor.

How to Grow Angelica in Cool Temperate Australia

When to Plant

Sow seed trays May-Jun, transplant Jun-Jul. Autumn sowing of fresh seed directly works well.

Soil
Rich, moist, well-drained loam with plenty of organic matter
pH Range
5.5-7.0
Sunlight
Part shade to full sun in cool areas; afternoon shade essential in warm zones
Spacing
45cm apart, 60cm between rows
Watering
Keep consistently moist but not waterlogged. Mulch heavily to retain soil moisture. Will wilt quickly in dry conditions.

Companion plants: Mint, Lemon Balm, Chives

Avoid planting near: Dill, Fennel

Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Angelica

Recommended Varieties

  • Standard Angelica archangelica

Key Challenges

  • Slow germination
  • Needs consistent moisture

Pro Tips

  • Ideal zone for angelica
  • Can self-sow and naturalise
  • Harvest stems in second year before flowering for culinary use

Harvesting Angelica

When ready: Leaves can be harvested once plant is well established (30cm+). Stems best harvested in late spring of second year before flowering. Seeds harvested when brown and dry.

How to harvest: Cut outer leaves as needed. Cut stems at base for candying. Cut seed heads when browning and dry in paper bag.

Common Angelica Pests in Cool Temperate Zones

Powdery Mildew and Aphids, risk: MODERATE (score: 45/100)

Organic prevention: Avoid excess nitrogen fertiliser which produces soft growth attractive to aphids. Companion plant with chives.

View all pest alerts →

Where to next

Also worth sowing in the cool temperate zone this September: Ginger, Sweet Corn, Chilli Peppers and Snow Peas.

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Common Questions About Angelica

When do you plant angelica in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Does angelica grow all year round in Melbourne?

No. In the Cool Temperate zone the planting months are Sep to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cool Temperate zone, Melbourne is its reference city.