Lovage Plants

Levisticum officinalis

Lovage grew abundantly in the Liguria region of Italy and became an essential ingredient in Italian cooking. This plant is a vigorous grower that prefers a sunny location and moist soil.

An aromatic herb, Lovage has a celery-like odor and a carrot-like root structure. It grows easily as a hardy perennial and will last for years if kept under the correct conditions.

Most parts of this culinary herb can be used. The leaves have an excellent, warm flavor like a cross between celery and anise, and are delicious with most savory dishes (soups and stews) as well as poultry. The stems are harvested while still young to be used for flavoring primarily in confections. The Lovage stems can be cut in the spring - blanch and eat as a vegetable. Even the seeds can be harvested and used when ground, as a substitute for salt.

Once in bloom, Loveage also attracts many beneficial pollinators to your garden with its fragrant blooms!