Practical
Plants

Levisticum officinale

Lovage

a perennial member of the Levisticum genus in the family Umbelliferae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
1.8 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
self fertile
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

Lovage is said to contain the alleged 'psychotroph' myristicine[9].

Edible uses

Leaves and stems - raw or cooked[5][14][1][8]. Used as a savoury flavouring in salads, soups, stews etc, imparting a yeasty/celery flavour[18][16]. 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[K]. The young stem can be blanched and used like celery in salads or as a savoury flavouring in cooked foods[16][4]. Seed - raw or cooked. A strong yeasty flavour, it is used as a flavouring in cakes, soups, salads etc[5][8][15][7]. It can be used whole or ground into a powder. Root - cooked. A strong savoury taste, it can be used as a flavouring[2] or cooked as a vegetable[7]. It is best grated[7]. Best used when 2 - 3 years old[2]. Flowers[4]. No more details are given. A tea is made from the dried leaves. A strong savoury flavour, it tastes more like a broth[8][4]. A tea can also be made from the grated roots[4]. An essential oil from the root is used commercially as a food flavouring[4][10]. Yields of 0.5% are obtained[17].

Plant part
Flowers

Flowers are reported as edible[21]. No details regarding preparation or specific use are provided by the source.

Plant part
Leaves
Preparation
Raw, Dried
Product or use
Tea, Broth

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[K]. A tea is made from the dried leaves. A strong savoury flavour, it tastes more like a broth[24][21].

Plant part
Root
Preparation
Grated
Product or use
Tea, Flavoring, Vegetable

Root is eaten cooked as a vegetable[23]. It has a strong savoury taste and can be used as a flavouring[20]. It is reported to be best grated[23] and used when 2 - 3 years old[20]. A tea can also be made from the grated roots[21].

Plant part
Root
Preparation
Distillation
Product or use
Flavouring

An essential oil from the root is used commercially as a food flavouring[21][25]. Yields of 0.5% are obtained[29].

Plant part
Seed
Preparation
Raw, Cooked, Ground
Product or use
Flavouring

The seed has a strong yeasty flavour, it is used as a flavouring in cakes, soups, salads etc[22][24][27][23]. It can be used whole or ground into a powder.

Plant part
Leaves, Stem
Preparation
Raw, Cooked
Product or use
Vegetable, Flavoring

Leaves and stems are edible raw or cooked as a vegetable[22][26][19][24] and can be used as a savoury flavouring in salads, soups, stews etc, imparting a yeasty/celery flavour[30][28]. The young stem can be blanched and used like celery in salads[28][21].

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

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[13]. The roots, leaves and fruits are antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, mildly expectorant and stimulant[14][17][8][15][3][10]. 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[14][10]. Externally, the root is used in the treatment of sore throats and aphthous ulcers[10]. The roots of plants 3 years old can be harvested in early spring or in the autumn and are used fresh or dried[18][10]. The leaves are harvested before the plant comes into flower and either distilled for their oil or dried for later use[10]. The leaves, either eaten in salads or dried and infused as a tea, have been used as an emmenagogue[14]. The essential oil from the seeds is used by aromatherapists to remove freckles and spots from the face[12].

Product or use
Antispasmodic
Product or use
Aromatic
Product or use
Carminative
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Digestive
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Emmenagogue
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Skin
Product or use
Stimulant
Product or use
Stomachic

Material uses

An essential oil from the plant is used in perfumery[17][10].

Product or use
Essential

Environment

Range
Europe. Occasionally naturalized in Britain.
Habitat
Arable land and waste places[18] in damp soils[17][1]. Mountain pastures and hedgerows near streams[12].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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[K]. 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.

Cultivation

An easily grown plant, it prefers a rich moist but well-drained soil in a sunny position[26][28], though it tolerates some shade[19]. Lovage has very aromatic leaves. It is often grown in the herb garden as a culinary herb[29] and is occasionally grown commercially as a food flavouring[K]. If the plant is cut back to the ground during the growing season it will produce a new flush of young leaves[23]. If the weather is dry at this time, it will be necessary to water the plants in order to encourage fresh growth[K].

References

  1. Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-262-7

    ↩1↩2

  2. Brouk. B. Plants Consumed by Man. Academic Press 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-12-136450-x

    ↩1↩2

  3. Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.

    ↩

  4. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  5. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩1↩2

  6. Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-88266-064-0

  7. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  9. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩

  10. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  11. Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden.

  12. Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30725-8

    ↩1↩2

  13. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩

  14. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  15. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  16. Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn 1980-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  17. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  18. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩1↩2↩3

  19. Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press ISBN 0-87857-262-7 (32202/01/01)

    ↩1↩2

  20. Brouk. B. Plants Consumed by Man. Academic Press ISBN 0-12-136450-x (32202/01/01)

    ↩1↩2

  21. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (32202/01/01)

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  22. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-20459-6 (32202/01/01)

    ↩1↩2

  23. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (32202/01/01)

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  24. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books ISBN 0-553-23827-2 (32202/01/01)

    ↩1↩2↩3

  25. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. ISBN 0-7513-020-31 (32202/01/01)

    ↩

  26. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 (32202/01/01)

    ↩1↩2

  27. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim (32202/01/01)

    ↩

  28. Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn (32202/01/01)

    ↩1↩2↩3

  29. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald ISBN 0-356-10541-5 (32202/01/01)

    ↩1↩2

  30. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn ISBN 0-600-37216-2 (32202/01/01)

    ↩

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