Lovage, Garden lovage
Levisticum officinale
Family: Apiaceae or Umbelliferae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Green, Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Late spring. Form: Upright or erect.
Levisticum officinale is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.8 m (6ft) by 1 m (3ft 3in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf from March to November, in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 1.8
Where it is found
Arable land and waste places in damp soils. Mountain pastures and hedgerows near streams.
Europe. Occasionally naturalized in Britain.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
Leaves and stems - raw or cooked. Used as a savoury flavouring in salads, soups, stews etc, imparting a yeasty/celery flavour. The leaves can be used fresh or dried and are available from late winter until late autumn. To ensure a good supply of the leaves in the summer, it is best to cut the plants down to the ground when flowering in the summer. The young stem can be blanched and used like celery in salads or as a savoury flavouring in cooked foods. Seed - raw or cooked. A strong yeasty flavour, it is used as a flavouring in cakes, soups, salads etc. It can be used whole or ground into a powder. Root - cooked. A strong savoury taste, it can be used as a flavouring or cooked as a vegetable. It is best grated. Best used when 2 - 3 years old. Flowers. No more details are given. A tea is made from the dried leaves. A strong savoury flavour, it tastes more like a broth. A tea can also be made from the grated roots. An essential oil from the root is used commercially as a food flavouring. Yields of 0.5% are obtained.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Stem: this often intergrades into leaves.
Condiment: the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.
Tea: the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.
Medicine
Rating: 3
Lovage is a warming and tonic herb for the digestive and respiratory systems. It is used primarily in the treatment of indigestion, poor appetite, wind, colic and bronchitis. The roots, leaves and fruits are antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, mildly expectorant and stimulant. They are used internally in the treatment of disordered stomachs, especially cases of colic and flatulence in children, kidney stones, cystitis, painful menstruation and slow labour. Externally, the root is used in the treatment of sore throats and aphthous ulcers. The roots of plants 3 years old can be harvested in early spring or in the autumn and are used fresh or dried. The leaves are harvested before the plant comes into flower and either distilled for their oil or dried for later use. The leaves, either eaten in salads or dried and infused as a tea, have been used as an emmenagogue. The essential oil from the seeds is used by aromatherapists to remove freckles and spots from the face. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Levisticum officinale - Lovage for infections of the urinary tract, kidney and bladder stones.
Antispasmodic: Relaxes muscular spasms and cramps, calming nervous irritation.
Aromatic: Having an agreeable odour and stimulant qualities.
Carminative: Reduces flatulence and expels gas from the intestines.
Diaphoretic: Induces perspiration.
Digestive: Aids digestion.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Emmenagogue: Promotes or increases the menstrual flow. In early stages of pregnancy it can induce an abortion.
Expectorant: Clears phlegm from the chest by inducing coughing.
Skin: Plants used in miscellaneous treatments for the skin.
Stimulant: Excites or quickens activity of the physiological processes. Faster acting than a tonic but differing from a narcotic in that it does not give a false sense of well-being.
Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.
Urinary: Treats urinary problems, including urinary tract infection (UTI).
Other
Rating: 2
An essential oil from the plant is used in perfumery.
Essential: Essential oils that are used in perfumery, medicines, paint solvents, insect repellents etc.
Attracts Wildlife: Plants noted for attracting wildlife
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Border, Container, Foundation. An easily grown plant, it prefers a rich moist but well-drained soil in a sunny position, though it tolerates some shade. Lovage has very aromatic leaves. It is often grown in the herb garden as a culinary herb and is occasionally grown commercially as a food flavouring. If the plant is cut back to the ground during the growing season it will produce a new flush of young leaves. If the weather is dry at this time, it will be necessary to water the plants in order to encourage fresh growth. Lovage is a good companion plant, improving the health and flavour of other plants growing nearby. The flowers are very attractive to bees and also draw insect predators such as hoverflies into the garden. Special Features: Edible, Fragrant foliage, Not North American native, Naturalizing. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread. The root pattern is rhizomatous with underground stems sending roots and shoots along their length.
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring or early autumn in a cold frame. The seed can be slow to germinate so it is probably best sown as soon as it is ripe. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. Division in spring or autumn. This can be quite hard work due to the size of the roots but the plant grows away very well afterwards. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 5-9
Growth: Medium
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Lovage is said to contain the alleged 'psychotroph' myristicine. The volatile oil is an irritant. Contraindicated with kidney or urinary passage inflammation. Avoid during pregnancy .
Its other names
Local names
Synonyms
Hipposelinum levisticum. Levisticum levesticum. Ligusticum levisticum. Selinum levisticum.