Lovage

(Levisticum officinale Koch, Umbelliferae)

Also Called: Old English Lovage.

Description: Lovage looks and smells a lot like overgrown celery.
It has bright green, hand shaped leaves and thickly ridged hollow stems.
The usual height is about 3-5 feet, but it can grow over 6 feet tall.
Attractive perennial plant with sturdy, slightly branched root and branched stem up to 2m (6ft) high.
Lower leaves large with long petioles, up to 3-pinnate and up to 70cm (28in) long.
Stem leaves becoming less and less divided towards the top, the uppermost being entire and lanceolate.
The flowers, which bloom in mid to late summer, are small, yellow, and formed in umbrella-like clusters.
The seeds are flat, oval, and deeply ridged.
All parts of the plant have a strong odour of celery.

Part Used: The dried root is used medicinally, rarely also the dried plant; as a spice the fresh or dried plant is employed.

Habitat: Not now known as a wild plant although allied species are found in Iran.
It is cultivated (and there are escapes from cultivation) in many parts of central Europe.
It is cultivated in English gardens.

Constituents and Action: Lovage contains a volatile oil and derivatives of coumarin; it acts as a diuretic, especially in generalised oedema.
It stimulates the appetite, is resolutive and relieves the pains of flatulence.
An infusion can be used as a diuretic, to relieve flatulence, and as an antiseptic.

Usage: As a tisane (0.5 litre (1 pt) of cold water on 1 table-spoonful of finely chopped drug, raise to the boil and allow to stand) for generalised oedema and rheumatism.
Generally lovage is used in admixture with other drugs (juniper, restharrow, etc.). It is rarely used in tisane form for flatulence and bronchial catarrh.
For the latter, inhalation of lovage often gives good results.

Lovage is the tallest of the umbellifers, reaching a height of over 6 feet, and makes an attractive back-of-the border plant. All parts of the plant are useful in the kitchen, making it a worthwhile plant to keep. This herb was once thought to be an aphrodisiac, and was used by witches in their love potions.

Culinary Uses: Leaves may be used to flavour soups, casseroles, sauces and marinades.
It may also be lightly cooked as a green vegetable.
The stems can be candied as you would angelica, and the seeds are used to flavour baked goods.
The roots can be peeled and used as a vegetable.

Other Uses: Lovage has attractive foliage and can be used as a back-of-the-border plant.
Leaves are attractive in herbal arrangements or as a background for floral displays.

Cultivation: Lovage is one of the few herbs that tolerates shade, and it grows equally well in full sun.
It will last several years if well cared for, and after about 4 years when it becomes too woody the roots can be used as a vegetable after the bitter skin has been removed.

Grown from seed, it is planted out at distances of 40-50cm (16-20in) in well manured soil.
It grows well in climates where it can receive a period of dormancy in winter.
Sow indoors in late summer and retain only the best seedlings.
One or two plants will provide enough of this herb for even the largest family.
Keep the plants well watered in fall and spring.
Water deeply to encourage deep root development, and take special care that young plants are never allowed to dry out.
The plants will die out in winter. In areas of hard frost, mulch the roots to protect against freezing.

Harvesting:The roots are collected in the autumn of the second year, are sliced longitudinally and are dried in the shade (or in sunlight in late autumn).
Yield: 20-38kg (44-841b) of dried roots per are (120 sq yd).
Cut the stems and the foliage for drying in autumn, they are somewhat slow to dry, depending on the weather.
Cut stalks of seedheads and hang to dry, when cutting, take care not to damage the center of growth.