Lovage

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; afternoon shade helps in hot-summer areas.

Water

Keep the root zone evenly moist, particularly during spring growth and dry summer weather; avoid waterlogged soil.

Soil

Deep, fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil; tolerates clay if drainage is adequate.

Height

4-7 ft (1.2-2.1 m) when flowering

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Flowers

Small yellow-green flowers in broad, branching umbels in early to midsummer.

Foliage

Large, divided, glossy green leaves with broad, toothed leaflets and a strong celery scent; dies back in winter.

Growth

Fast during spring and early summer; forms a substantial clump within two or three years.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Cold hardy
• Low allergen
• Fragrant
• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   3 ft (0.99 m)

3. After 2 years

   5 ft (1.7 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Fast

• Water deeply during dry spells rather than letting the soil repeatedly dry out.
• Apply compost around the crown in early spring; rich soil usually needs no additional feeding.
• Mulch to conserve moisture, keeping mulch clear of emerging shoots.
• Stake flowering stems early if the site is exposed to strong winds.
• Divide crowded clumps in early spring, usually every three to five years.

Pruning. Remove flower stems as they appear if tender leaves are your priority, or leave some for insects and seed. Cut dead stems to ground level in late autumn or before new growth starts in spring.

Pick young, fully opened leaves from spring onward, taking outer stems and leaving plenty of foliage to sustain the plant; older leaves become tougher and stronger-flavoured. Collect seed heads when the seeds turn brown, then dry them in a paper bag before rubbing out the seeds.

Early spring

Clear dead stems, divide established clumps if needed, and apply compost.

Spring

Plant young plants and begin light harvesting once they are growing strongly.

Late spring

Mulch moist soil and stake tall stems in exposed positions.

Summer

Water during dry weather; remove flower stems for leaf production or retain some for pollinators.

Late summer

Collect brown, ripe seeds before they fall, or remove seed heads to limit self-sowing.

Late autumn

Cut back dead growth, or leave sound stems until early spring for winter shelter.

• Place at the back of a herb bed, where its height will not shade smaller herbs.
• Use as a vertical accent in a kitchen garden alongside chives, parsley and leafy vegetables.
• Plant among cottage-garden perennials for bold foliage and airy summer flower heads.
• Include in a mixed edible border, with access for frequent leaf picking.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Potager (kitchen garden), Edible landscape, Homestead, Herb parterre and Pollinator garden.

Plant it with: Chives, Parsley, Sorrel, Calendula, Bee balm and Rhubarb.

Wildlife: The open flower heads provide accessible nectar and pollen for hoverflies, small bees, wasps and other insects.

• Leaf miners leave pale tunnels in leaves: remove affected leaves and dispose of them before larvae finish developing.
• Aphids cluster on tender shoots: wash them off with water and allow ladybirds and other predators to feed.
• Slugs and snails damage emerging shoots: inspect at dusk and use barriers or locally approved iron-phosphate bait if needed.
• Dry soil and summer heat cause yellowing or early dormancy: water deeply, mulch and provide afternoon shade in hot locations.

Leaves, stems and seeds are edible for people in normal culinary amounts. Sap can cause skin irritation or a sunlight-sensitive rash in susceptible people. Lovage is considered toxic to cats, dogs and horses because of its volatile oils, which can have diuretic effects; prevent grazing and seek veterinary advice after a substantial ingestion. Concentrated essential oil is not equivalent to the culinary herb and should not be swallowed.

• Celery (Apium graveolens)

  Celery has a similar scent and divided leaves, but cultivated celery usually forms a lower rosette with thick, closely packed leaf stalks. Established lovage develops a much taller, branching flowering plant.

• Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)

  Alexanders also has broad leaflets and yellow-green umbels, but its leaves are usually divided into three main groups and its ripe fruits are conspicuously black.

• Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum)

  Poison hemlock has finely divided, fernlike leaves, white flowers and usually purple-blotched stems; lovage has broad, toothed leaflets and yellow-green flowers.

Lovage derives through French from the Latin name levisticum, traditionally linked to Liguria in northwestern Italy, while officinale indicates its historical use in medicine.

Propagation. Divide established clumps in early spring, retaining strong buds and roots on each division. Sow fresh seed in autumn or spring; germination can be slow and uneven, and stored seed loses viability.

Accepted botanical name

Levisticum officinale

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Afghanistan and Iran.

Measured

Soil pH 6.5 to 7. Average height 135 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.