(Levisticum officinale ‘Lovage')

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Lovage is a perennial herb that is native to Europe but can be commonly found growing in open woodlands throughout the northeastern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 5-6' and features thick stems, dark green parsley-like leaves, and umbels that bare greenish-yellow flowers. This plant can be grown in containers, attracts lacewings, ladybugs, predatory wasps, and tachinid flies, is used as a trap crop for tomato hornworms, tolerates deer, is used to flavor perfume, is both edible and medicinal, and self sows! 

  • General Information
  • Germination
  • Seedlings
  • Harvesting
  • Seed Saving
  • Culinary
  • Medicinal
  • Companion Planting
  • Other Uses
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Family: Apiaceae

Genus: Levisticum 

Species: officinale

Variety: Lovage

Native to: Afghanistan, Iran.

Introduced into: Albania, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, Chile South, China North-Central, China Southeast, Connecticut, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East European Russia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Inner Mongolia, Italy, Krym, Maine, Manchuria, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Netherlands, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North European Russi, Norway, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Poland, Québec, Romania, Saskatchewan, South European Russi, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Vermont, Wisconsin, Yugoslavia.

Also Known As: Sea Parsley

Grown as: Annual
 
Maturity (Blooms): May to June

Hardiness: Hardy. Lovage is a hardy perennial that will die back to the ground in the winter, and grow again every season. Each season it comes back stronger than the season before until it has reached full maturity anywhere between 6 and 10'.

Crops: Spring Transplant.

Growing Season: Short, Long.

Growing Conditions: Cold, Cool, Warm. Lovage likes to be planted in a sunny spot, rich in organic matter and well-drained. The soil should be moisture retentive.

Outdoor Growing Temp: 50°F - 80°F.

Min Outdoor Soil Temp: 50°F. Plant outdoors when soil is at least 50˚F.

Start Indoors?: Yes.

Start Outdoors?: No.

Light: Full sun to part shade.

Water: Medium. Keep soil fairly moist. A mulch will help to retain moisture.

Soil Moisture: Moist, well-drained.

Feeder: Moderate. Lovage does best in fertile soil.

Suitability: Tolerates light frost, Tolerates hard frost.

Small Gardens?: Yes.

Containers?: Yes. Lovage grown in containers may need to be potted up every year because it gets big.
​
Attracts Beneficial Insects: Yes. Lacewings, Ladybugs, Predatory Wasps, Tachinid Flies, and even acts as a trap crop for Tomato Hornworms.

Maintenance: High

Soil: rich, moist soil with good drainage. Good border plant.

​Water: Water regularly, but do not over water. 

Height: 60-72”
 
Spacing: 24-36”
 
USDA Zone: 4-8

Produces: thick stems, dark green parsley-like leaves, and umbels that bare greenish-yellow flowers.

Garden Uses: Herb garden. Also has ornamental value and good height for a back corner of the border or for naturalized areas or wild gardens.
To start lovage indoors, plant the seeds 1/4" deep in a flat 6-8 weeks before the last spring frost. Germination usually occurs within 10-14 days, but can be longer. Keep the soil lightly moist with a spray bottle or careful watering, and keep the temperature cool for best results. When the seedlings are big enough to handle and there is no chance of frost, plant them 2-3' apart in rich soil and full sun or partial shade. To direct sow, plant 3-4 seeds in groups 2-3' apart and thin to the strongest seedling. Lovage can also be direct sown in the fall for early spring growth.
Lovage thrives in moist soil, and needs regular watering especially when it is becoming established. Control weeds. A very hardy herb, lovage survives cold well but will need mulching in very cold winters. Since lovage easily reseeds itself, cut the flowering heads before they go to seed to prevent volunteer plants. Cutting back the stems will cause the growth of new and more abundant leaves. After several years of growth, lovage benefits from being dug up and divided; the plant grows well from root and stem cuttings, and parts of the extensive roots can then be harvested for culinary use.
As soon as the plant reaches a height of 12", harvesting can begin. Harvest fresh leaves or stems as needed, taking the outer stems first; the best time to harvest is in the morning after the dew has dried. Though fresh leaves and stems have the best flavor, they can also frozen; drying tends to deprive them of flavor. The roots, which are also edible, can be harvested in the spring or fall after the plant has been established and needs to be divided. Wash the roots, cut them into 1/2" pieces, and spread them out to dry for several weeks. The seeds, which are similar in flavor to celery seed, can be harvested as soon as the seed heads begin to dry and develop mature seed. Store the seed in an airtight container.
The perfect (having both male and female parts) flowers are pollinated by insects, but it is also self-fertile and produces seed easily. The seed will ripen on the umbel and you should wait until it turns brown and dries up. Gather the seeds before they fall to the ground.

Seed Viability in Years: 2 - 3 years
Germination Percentage: 50%
Taste:
Similar to celery in use and flavor. However, many prefer Lovage over Celery.

Culinary Use:
Leaves and stems: raw or cooked. Used as a savory flavoring in salads, soups, stews etc, imparting a yeasty/celery flavor. 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 savory flavoring in cooked foods. A tea is made from the dried leaves. A strong savory flavor, it tastes more like a broth. 

Seed: raw or cooked. A strong yeasty flavor, it is used as a flavoring in cakes, soups, salads etc. It can be used whole or ground into a powder.

Root: cooked. A strong savory taste, it can be used as a flavoring or cooked as a vegetable. It is best grated. Best used when 2 - 3 years old. A tea can also be made from the grated roots. An essential oil from the root is used commercially as a food flavoring. Yields of 0.5% are obtained.
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 labor. 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.
Project Purity Seeds can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Companion Planting

Allies: Lovage is recommended as a trap crop to lure tomato hornworms away from tomatoes’ handpick the pests or cut off and destroy infested foliage. The umbels of tiny greenish yellow flowers attract parasitic and predaceous insects to the garden, and the bushy plants provide shelter for predatory insects.

Companions: Lovage takes up quite a bit of room in the garden” A single plant may be all you need as a trap crop. Plant it at the back of the ornamental border for an eye catching accent.

Enemies: None known.

Problems

No serious disease or insect problems. Be on the lookout for tarnished plant bugs, celery worms, and leaf miners.

Tarnished Plant Bugs

Big-eyed Bugs: Big-eyed bugs are small (~3/16 inch long), fast moving true bugs. They are generalist predators and are most commonly seen on the ground or in shorter growing plants. They prey on aphids, small caterpillars and caterpillar eggs, fleahoppers, lygus bugs, mites, thrips, whiteflies. They are distinguished by their very large eyes which are as broad as the width of their body. Big-eyed bugs are not available commercially. 

Plants that attract Big-eyed bugs are: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).

Damsel Bugs: These true bugs are very common and abundant in farms, gardens and landscapes. They are generalist predators and both the adults and nymphs eat aphids, caterpillar eggs, small larvae, fleahoppers, lygus bugs, leafhoppers, treehoppers, spider mites, and other soft-bodied insects, especially on shorter growing plants. They are common in agricultural habitats, such as soybean, corn, and alfalfa. Damsel bugs are greyish brown in color and have grasping front legs. They are not commercially available.

Plants that attract Damsel Bugs are: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).

Minute Pirate Bugs: Minute pirate bugs are very small (~1/12 inch long) predators that are difficult to see without a hand lens or jeweler’s loupe. They are generalist predators that feed on small insect prey. Both the nymphs and adults are predaceous. The adults are identified by the black and white color and an X pattern across the back. The nymphs are tiny and red to orange in color. Minute pirate bugs are commercially available.

Plants that attract Minute Pirate Bugs are: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).

Celery Worm

Celery worms are the large larva of the black swallowtail butterfly. The most commonly victimized plants include carrots, celery, parsley, dill, fennel and parsnip. They chew The foliage and stems and destroy tops. They are seldom numerous enough to pose a significant problem.

Leaf Miner

Beneficial Insects such as the Leaf miner parasitic wasps (Diglyphus isaea) prey on Leaf Miners.
​Lear Miner Parasitic Wasps are the main natural enemy of these ubiquitous garden pests. These tiny wasps prey on leaf miners by laying eggs in their larvae. When the eggs hatch, the wasp larvae feed on the leaf miner larvae. You can purchase Leaf miner parasite wasps as adults from online organic garden suppliers.
An essential oil from the plant is used in perfumery.

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