Lovage

Table of Contents:

1. Description
2. Origin
3. Uses
4. Culture
5. Sources
6. Thanks to...

Levisticum officinale
Family: Umbelliferae

Common names: love parsley, sea parsley, lavose, liveche, smallage, European lovage, common lovage, Cornish lovage, English lovage, Italian lovage, maggi plant, old English lovage

Description

Lovage is a hardy perennial herb, with ribbed stalks similar to celery, and hollow stems that divide into branches near the top. Yellow flowers are borne in compound umbels, about 30 mm across. Leaves are dark green, opposite, compound, leaflets wedge shaped maybe toothed or ridged. Lovage has a strong taste and odour similar to celery and parsley. Roots have a nutty flavour. It is very robust and can grow as tall as 2 m and spread to form a clump several meters wide.

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Origin

Eastern Mediterranean, Afghanistan: Lovage has a flavour resembling a combination of celery and yeast extract. The major area of production is in central Europe. It was used by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Lovage leaves where used as antiseptic on the skin, they were used in shoes in the middle ages like odour eaters are used today. An essential oil can be extracted from the seeds (0.8-1.1%), roots (0.6-1.0%), and leaves (0.05-0.15%). There are many different compounds in the oil including monoterpene hydrocarbons, phthalides, coumarins, volatile acids, resin, starch, sugars, tannins, and gum.

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Uses of Lovage and claims

• Culinary:
  • leaves can be used fresh in salads, soups, stews, stir-fries, potato dishes, squash, has been used to make tea and wine;
  • leafstalks can be eaten fresh or candied; hollow stems can be candied and used as straws in Bloody Marys;
  • seeds can be used whole or ground in candy, cakes, meats, biscuits, sauces, cheeses, salad dressings, or pickled;
  • dried root has been used as a condiment,
  • grated fresh root can be cooked as a vegetable, used raw in salads, used to make tea, preserved in honey; essential oil used in condiments, icings, syrups, some liqueurs.
• Medicinal: was been by in traditional medicine to reduce flatulence, dried leaves were used in an infusion for sore throats, fevers, an antiseptic mouthwash.
• Aromatic: essential oil can be used to make a heavy spicy perfume
• Industrial: in tobacco products, as a closet freshener, deodorant, added to a bath.

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Culture

• Propagation: Propagated by seed, which are slow to germinate (about 10-28 days), or by root division. Direct seeded crops should be planted early in the spring at a depth of 6 mm. Row spacing of 40 - 50 cm apart, 60 - 100 cm apart in row.
• Soil Type: A well drained site rich in organic matter with a pH of 6 - 7.5 is preferred. It cannot tolerate heavy clay.
• Cultivation: Lovage is winter hardy but mulching assists winter survival.
• Harvest: Leaves are usually harvested twice a season, starting in the second year; stems are cut in spring; roots are dug in the fall of the third year and can be used fresh or dried. Seeds can be harvested in late fall when ripe and dried for use.

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Sources

• Bown, D. 1995. Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Readers Digest press
• Halva, S, L. E. Craker. 1996. Manual for Northern Herb Growers. HSMP Press.
• Kowalchik, C. and W. H. Hylton Eds. 1998. Rodale’s illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs. Rodale Press
• Small, E. 1997. Culinary Herbs. National Research Council of Canada.
• Keville, K. 1994. Herbs an Illustrated Encyclopedia. Friedman/Fairfax publishers.
• McVicar J. 1998. Jekka’s Complete Herb Book. Raincoast Books

Thanks to

This demonstration garden was a result of the efforts of Dr. Alan McKeown, Vegetable Scientist, University of Guelph and was made possible with grants from the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and the Tobacco Diversification Program.

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