Herb · Apiaceae
Lovage
Levisticum officinale
Set it in rich, moist soil and full sun, and lovage becomes the tall, generous herb that ties garden and kitchen together for years.
Full sun
Every 3–7 days
90–120 days
USDA 3–9
Overview
Lovage is the herb that gives a kitchen garden its architecture, a tall, hardy perennial with a celery flavor that reads bold and unmistakable. It belongs to the same family as carrots and parsley and rises each year from a deep crown, and a single plant is usually all a working kitchen asks for. Grown well, it becomes a fixture you cook from season after season.
This is a herb that commands its corner of the plot. By midsummer it stands 4 to 6.5 feet (120 to 200 cm) tall and spreads a couple of feet across, lifting airy yellow-green flower heads high above the border like a green exclamation at the back of the bed. Give it a generous spot at the rear of a border, and its scale becomes a strength rather than a crowding problem.
Part of its appeal is how gracefully it fits into the rhythm of a garden. It weathers hard winters, returns with fresh vigor each spring, and asks little of even a first-time grower once it has settled. Keep the soil rich and the roots evenly moist, and the leaves, stems, and seeds all find a place at the table.
Care
The short version: give lovage full sun or a little shade, deep fertile soil kept evenly moist, and room enough for a herb that stands shoulder-high in the border. A single spring feeding and a crown division every few years keep it handsome and productive.
Light
Lovage is at its best in full sun, yet it takes partial shade in good grace, which earns it a place in gardens where summers turn fierce. A little afternoon shade keeps the tall leaves from scorching, while an open, sunny position rewards you with the fullest, most generous plant.
Water
Keep the soil consistently moist, since a herb of this stature drinks deeply and wilts quickly the moment it runs dry. Water well through dry spells, roughly every 3 to 7 days as the heat dictates, but let the ground drain between soakings so the crown never sits wet and turns to rot.
Soil
Plant it in deep, fertile, moisture-holding loam enriched with plenty of organic matter. Lovage is easygoing about pH and settles happily anywhere from 6.0 to 7.5, so long as the soil stays rich and the roots stay damp without standing in water.
Temperature
This is a resilient, cold-hardy herb that endures winters down to -29°F (-34°C) and summers up to 86°F (30°C). It retreats to the crown through the cold and returns with fresh growth as spring warms, a reliable presence year on year.
Humidity
Ordinary outdoor humidity suits it well, somewhere around 40% to 70%, with no figure to fuss over. What truly counts is steady moisture at the roots and a little air moving around the foliage.
Feeding
A single feed in spring, whether a balanced fertilizer or a top-dressing of compost or aged manure, is all it needs. That one seasonal helping carries this hungry herb through the year and sustains its broad leaves and towering stems.
Pruning
Cut back the flowering stalks to keep the tender leaves coming, and remove the flower umbels before they set seed if you would rather it not spread. Harvest the outer leaves as you go, and shear the whole plant back after bloom to bring on a fresh flush of foliage.
Repotting
Lovage outgrows a container in short order, so it belongs in open ground rather than a pot. Renew it instead by dividing the crown every 3 to 4 years, which keeps the leaves full-sized and the stems handsomely thick.
Size & spacing
Plan for a commanding plant, 4 to 6.5 feet (120 to 200 cm) tall and 2 to 3.3 feet (60 to 100 cm) wide. Give it a clear position at the back of the bed so its height frames rather than shades the smaller herbs.
When to plant
Lovage keeps to the garden calendar and takes the cold in its stride, holding hardy from zone 3 to zone 9. Start it indoors in late winter or sow it fresh in autumn, move young plants into the border in spring once frost has passed, and gather leaves and stems all season long as the tall flower heads rise in early summer.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Sow: Late winter to early spring, 6-8 weeks before last frost (fresh seed germinates best)
- Plant: Spring, after the last frost when soil has warmed
- Harvest: Harvest leaves and stems through the growing season; tall yellow-green flower umbels appear early to mid summer, followed by seed
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 3–9
Temperature: down to -40°C
Troubleshooting
Lovage asks for little maintenance, and the occasional issue tends to settle on the leaves or the tall stems rather than the whole plant. Spotted early, most is quickly put right. Match what appears against the notes below, then act before it takes hold.
A wilting plant with a soft, browning crown at soil level
A plant that suddenly wilts, its base gone soft, brown, and mushy, is showing crown and root rot, which takes hold wherever the soil stays soggy and water lingers around the base. The crown softens and turns sour while the roots darken out of sight below. Tissue that far gone cannot be revived, so open up the drainage, cut away or replace the failing plant, and settle into a lighter watering rhythm.
Fix:
- Improve drainage
- Remove affected tissue or replace plant
- Avoid overwatering
Tall stems leaning or breaking after a storm
The plant's soaring silhouette comes with a catch worth planning for. Lovage rises on hollow stems that grow top-heavy, so once the flower stalks fill out, wind and rain can tip or break them and undo the whole vertical effect. Set a stake or a discreet cage before the stems reach full height, ease the load by cutting back a few of the flowering shoots, and choose a sheltered corner away from the strongest wind so the plant keeps its poise.
Fix:
- Stake or cage tall stems
- Cut back flowering stalks to reduce height and weight
Pale winding trails or nibbled holes marking the leaves
A few blemishes on the foliage rarely spoil the display for long. The pale, meandering tunnels are the work of leaf miner grubs feeding inside the leaf, the ragged holes usually belong to celery worms, the green swallowtail caterpillars, and any soft clusters gathered on the newest growth are aphids. Tidy the planting by removing and binning the marked leaves, lifting the caterpillars off by hand, and rinsing the aphids away with a firm spray of water or a touch of insecticidal soap.
Fix:
- Remove and destroy mined or infested leaves
- Handpick caterpillars
- Spray aphids off with water or use insecticidal soap
Toxicity
Lovage is a culinary herb that is safe for people and pets alike, carrying no toxin in its leaves, stems, or seeds. The one thing to keep in mind is the sap, which holds furanocoumarins that can leave sensitive skin sun-sensitive after you handle a large batch, so wear gloves and rinse off when working in bright sun.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats Safe
A household cat can share the garden with lovage in perfect ease. Should one work through a large helping of the strong, aromatic leaves, the most that follows is a passing upset stomach.
Dogs Safe
Lovage sits comfortably in a home with dogs. A generous mouthful tends to bring nothing more than mild gas or a soft stool that settles on its own.
Horses Safe
Horses may graze lovage untroubled, as the leaves carry no toxin. One that overindulges in the pungent foliage is likely to find the flavor simply too much.
Rabbits Safe
Rabbits take to the leaves without any risk. Offer a modest amount to begin with, as with any new green, and let their digestion ease into it.
Livestock Safe
Goats, sheep, and cattle can browse lovage with nothing to fear. The plant holds no compound that would poison a grazing animal.
Birds Safe
Backyard hens and pet birds face no poisoning risk from the plant. A taste of the leaves or the seed passes without harm.
People Safe
The leaves, stems, and seeds are a cherished kitchen staple and entirely safe to eat. The single caveat lies in the furanocoumarins in the sap, which can leave sensitive skin sun-sensitive after handling, so slip on gloves and rinse off in bright weather.
The foliage and sap contain furanocoumarins; skin contact with the sap followed by sun exposure can cause mild phytophotodermatitis (photosensitivity) in sensitive handlers. Wear gloves and wash hands after handling large quantities, especially in bright sun.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
United Kingdom
Animal PoisonLine: 01202 509000 (fee applies)
Australia
Animal Poisons Helpline: 1300 869 738
Varieties
Lovage rests on a single species rather than a catalogue of named types, which keeps the choosing simple and the character consistent.
Levisticum officinale (species)
There is one species that anchors the whole picture, the classic culinary form, known for hollow stems that carry a deep celery flavor and glossy, deeply cut leaves.
How to propagate
Lovage is easy to increase, whether you raise it from fresh seed or divide an established clump into new plants.
SeedEasy
Late summer/early autumn when seed is fresh, or late winter to early spring indoors · 2-3 weeks to germinate; one full season to establish
Lovage seed keeps its promise only while it is fresh, so sow it in late summer or early autumn, or start it indoors from late winter to early spring. Rest the seed on the surface rather than tucking it under, since a little light coaxes it awake, and look for seedlings in 2 to 3 weeks with a full season before the plant truly takes its place.
DivisionEasy
Early spring or autumn · One growing season
An established clump parts willingly in early spring or autumn. Ease the crown from the soil and divide it so each piece keeps both roots and growth buds, then let the new sections find their footing across a single growing season.
Myths
Lovage is merely celery under a fancier name.
The kinship of flavor is real, yet these are two separate plants. Lovage is the tall perennial herb Levisticum officinale, while true celery is the annual Apium graveolens, a different genus and species that shares only the Apiaceae family. In the garden they look and grow nothing alike.