Lovage, Love Parsley, Italian parsley, Italian lovage
Levisticum officinale

Family: Apiaceae

What it is like

A stout perennial herb. It may die back in winter and shoot again in spring. It grows to 1 m high and spreads to 50 cm wide. The leaves are like Italian parsley. The stems are channelled like celery. The flowers are sulphur yellow. They are in delicate umbels. It has a grey-brown, thick, fleshy roots like a carrot. This is 10-15 cm long. The root is used in medicine.

There is only one Levisticum species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows best where there are temperatures of 6 to 18°C with 0.5 to 1.5 meters annual rainfall and a soil pH of 5.0 to 7. Lovage thrives in deep, moist, rich soils and can grow in full sun or lightly shaded areas. It suits hardiness zones 3-10.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Bosnia, Britain, Canada, Caucasus, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Europe (country/location of origin), Falklands, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iran, Italy, Lithuania, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Middle East, North America, Serbia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, USA

How it is used for food

The seeds and seed oil are used for flavouring agents in confectionery and liqueurs. The stems are used for candied products. The leaves and stems are pickled. The young leaves are added to salads, soups, and stews because of their pungent, celery-like flavour. They can be dried and stored. The roots are peeled and cooked like celery-root. The flowers are eaten.

Edible parts

Flowers, leaves, root, seeds, stem, herb, spice, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed or by division.

The leaves when dried should be green like parsley. They need to be stored in a cool, dark place.

Its other names

Local names

Apio del monte, Libecek lekarsky, Navadni luštrek, Sasukua, Tsisk'ara

Synonyms

Ligusticum levisticum L.; Hipposelinum levisticum, Britt. and Rose; Angelica levisticum Baillon;