Lovage is a hardy perennial herb with a strong celery-like flavour. It is a classic old garden herb used for soups, stews, broths, salads, potatoes, beans, sauces, and seasoning blends. The leaves, young stems, seeds, and roots have all traditionally been used as culinary herbs, though the leaves are the easiest part to harvest from a garden plant.

This is a vigorous perennial that comes back year after year once established. It can grow into a large herb plant, often reaching 1-2 metres tall in good soil. The leaves are bright green and aromatic, and mature plants produce yellow-green umbels of flowers that are attractive to beneficial insects.

Lovage grows best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers rich, moist, well-drained soil, but it is fairly adaptable once established. In hot or dry conditions, it appreciates regular watering and some afternoon shade. It is well suited to herb gardens, food forests, cottage gardens, pollinator edges, and perennial vegetable plantings.

Harvest leaves lightly while the plant is young, then more heavily once it is established and growing strongly. The flavour is quite concentrated, so a little goes a long way.

You will receive one live potted Lovage seedling. Plant size varies by season.

Care Summary

Full sun to partial shade.

Moist, fertile, well-drained soil.

Hardy perennial.

Celery-like culinary herb.

Can grow large once established.

Attracts beneficial insects when flowering.

Species Information

Species Details

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