Herb · Apiaceae
Lovage
Levisticum officinale
Glossy, deeply cut leaves on thick hollow stems, all charged with celery flavor: lovage is a big, handsome herb for full sun and rich, moist soil.
Full sun
Every 3–7 days
90–120 days
USDA 3–9
Overview
Lovage is a tall, hardy perennial herb whose glossy, deeply divided leaves carry a flavor like celery turned up loud. Each leaf splits into broad, toothed segments that catch the light with a dark, polished sheen, and the whole plant rises from a deep crown, sending up fresh growth year after year. One plant is usually all a kitchen needs.
It is a big herb, and it looks it. By midsummer the hollow stems climb to 4 to 6.5 feet (120 to 200 cm) and the clump spreads a couple of feet across, then breaks into wide, airy umbels of tiny yellow-green flowers held high above the foliage. Give it a clear spot at the back of the bed so its bulk and height have room to show.
Up close, the contrast is what stands out: dark, glossy leaflets against pale, thick-walled stems, and above them the loose green flower heads that later ripen into seed. It shrugs off hard winters and returns stronger each spring, forgiving of a beginner. Keep the soil rich and the roots moist, and the leaves, stems, and seeds all earn their place.
Care
The short version: lovage wants full sun or a little shade, deep fertile soil kept evenly moist, and room for a shoulder-high herb of dark leaves and thick hollow stems. Feed it in spring and divide the crown every few years to keep the foliage full and glossy.
Light
Lovage colors up best in full sun, which deepens the gloss on the leaves, but it holds up in partial shade too, a help where summers run hot. A little afternoon shade keeps the broad leaflets from scorching brown at the edges, while an open, sunny spot builds the fullest, darkest growth.
Water
Keep the soil consistently moist, since this big-leaved herb pulls up a lot of water and the foliage droops and dulls fast once it dries. Water deeply through dry spells, every 3 to 7 days in heat, but never leave the ground waterlogged or the crown softens and rots.
Soil
Set it into deep, fertile, moisture-holding loam worked full of dark organic matter. Lovage takes any pH from 6.0 to 7.5 in its stride, asking only that the soil stay rich and the roots stay damp without standing in water.
Temperature
This is a tough, cold-hardy herb that endures winters down to -29°F (-34°C) and summers up to 86°F (30°C). When hard frost comes the leaves die back to the crown, and fresh green shoots push up again each spring.
Humidity
Ordinary outdoor humidity around 40% to 70% keeps the foliage in good shape, with no number to chase. Steady moisture at the roots and a little air moving around the broad leaves count for more.
Feeding
Feed once in spring with a balanced fertilizer or a top-dressing of dark compost or aged manure. That single seasonal boost carries this hungry herb through the year and builds the broad glossy leaves and thick stems.
Pruning
Cut back the flowering stalks to keep tender new leaves coming, and clip off the yellow-green 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 draw up a fresh flush of glossy foliage.
Repotting
Lovage grows too large and heavy-stemmed to sit in a pot for long, so it belongs in open ground. Refresh it instead by dividing the fleshy crown every 3 to 4 years, which keeps the leaves full-sized and the hollow stems thick.
Size & spacing
Expect a big, bold plant, 4 to 6.5 feet (120 to 200 cm) tall and 2 to 3.3 feet (60 to 100 cm) wide, with the flower umbels reaching higher still. Give it a clear spot at the back of the bed so its dark mass does not shade the smaller herbs.
When to plant
Lovage runs on the seasons and takes hard cold in stride, hardy from zone 3 to zone 9. Start it indoors in late winter or sow fresh seed in autumn, set young plants out in spring once frost has passed, and cut the glossy leaves and hollow stems through the season as the tall yellow-green umbels open 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 rarely gives much trouble, and the marks that do appear tend to show on the broad leaves or the towering hollow stems. Look closely and the cause is usually easy to read. Match what you see below, then act before it spreads.
A wilting plant with a soft, browning crown at the base
A wilt that comes with a base gone soft, brown, and slick to the touch is crown and root rot, which sets in where the soil stays soggy and water sits around the base. The crown collapses into a mushy, foul-smelling mass and the roots blacken beneath the surface. Tissue this far gone cannot come back, so open up the drainage, cut away or replace the rotted plant, and pull back on the watering.
Fix:
- Improve drainage
- Remove affected tissue or replace plant
- Avoid overwatering
Tall stems bowing or snapping after a storm
The very thing that makes the plant striking, its height, is also its weak point. Lovage climbs on thick, hollow stems whose empty cores grow top-heavy as the flower heads swell and gain weight, so a gust or a soaking rain bends them low or cracks them clean through. Slide a stake or a cage in against the stems before they reach full height, cut back a few of the flowering shoots to strip off some weight, and set the plant where the wind cannot get a full grip on it.
Fix:
- Stake or cage tall stems
- Cut back flowering stalks to reduce height and weight
Pale winding trails or chewed holes scarring the leaves
The scars tell you which pest paid a visit. Pale, thread-thin tunnels that wander across the leaf are leaf miner grubs eating between the upper and lower surfaces, ragged bitten holes come from celery worms, plump green swallowtail caterpillars banded in black and yellow, and tight clusters of soft-bodied specks on the newest leaves are aphids. Pinch off and bin the scarred leaves, lift the caterpillars away by hand, and rinse the aphids off with a firm jet of water or a little 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, with no toxin in its glossy leaves, hollow stems, or ripe seed. The only thing to note is the clear 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
Lovage is safe for a cat to be around. A cat that works through a mouthful of the dark, aromatic leaves may get a brief stomach upset from their sheer pungency, but nothing worse follows.
Dogs Safe
A dog comes to no harm near lovage. The strong, sharp-smelling leaves may bring on a little gas or a loose stool if a dog bolts a big mouthful, and that clears on its own.
Horses Safe
Horses can graze the glossy foliage safely, as it carries no toxin. The pungent, celery-scented leaves tend to stop a horse before it eats enough to matter, since the flavor is simply too strong.
Rabbits Safe
Rabbits can nibble the deeply cut leaves without any risk. Offer a small amount at first, as with any new green, and let their gut ease into the strong flavor.
Livestock Safe
Goats, sheep, and cattle can browse the leafy stems with no harm at all. Nothing in the plant poisons a grazing animal.
Birds Safe
Backyard hens and pet birds are in no danger from the plant. A peck at the leaves or the small ripe seed passes without harm.
People Safe
The leaves, hollow stems, and seeds are all edible and safe in the kitchen. The one caveat lies in the clear sap, which holds furanocoumarins that can leave sensitive skin sun-sensitive after handling, so wear gloves and rinse off in bright sun.
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 comes down to a single species rather than a long list of named types, so there is just one plant, dark-leaved and umbel-topped, to know.
Levisticum officinale (species)
Just one species defines lovage, the classic culinary form, with thick hollow stems that carry a deep celery taste and glossy, deeply divided leaves cut into broad, toothed segments.
How to propagate
Lovage is easy to increase, whether you raise it from its small ribbed seed or split the fleshy crown of an old 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
The small, ribbed lovage seed loses its viability fast, so sow it fresh in late summer or early autumn, or start it indoors from late winter to early spring. Rest each seed on the surface rather than burying it, since a little light triggers it, and the first thread-like green seedlings break through in 2 to 3 weeks, filling out over one full season.
DivisionEasy
Early spring or autumn · One growing season
The fleshy crown of an established clump splits cleanly in early spring or autumn. Lift it whole and cut it into sections so each one keeps a knot of pale roots and plump growth buds, and the fresh divisions knit in over a single growing season.
Myths
Lovage is nothing more than celery renamed.
The two share that unmistakable celery taste, yet they are separate plants. Lovage is the towering perennial Levisticum officinale, while true celery is the annual Apium graveolens, a different genus and species joined to it only through the Apiaceae family. Set the tall, dark, umbel-topped herb beside a celery stalk and they look and grow nothing alike.