I know there is a popular belief here in the Midwest that one shouldn’t plant a garden until Mother’s Day. I know this and yet every year as soon as the first string of hot, sunny days arrives, I’m itching to get out and plant something. This year, I’m planting an herb garden and I probably won’t wait until Mother’s Day. I think I’ll plant some basil, dill, oregano, thyme, chives and maybe some lovage. Lovage? Yes, lovage.
Lovage is probably one of the oldest known cultivated ‘salad herbs’ and has been used since Greek and Roman times as a seasoning in food. It is a native of the mountainous areas of the Mediterranean. It is still common in Southern and Central Europe and gaining popularity here in America. Lovage was a required plant in Emperor Charlemagne’s gardens and it is widely cultivated in Liguria, a region of Italy. In early times, the stalks were candied and used as a confection, and the leaves and seeds were used in salads and soups.
A hardy perennial of the carrot family, lovage, also known as false celery, has a strong flavor of celery with a hint of anise. The plant looks and smells like celery but grows much larger, at times more than 6 feet tall. The stems are thick and hollow and the plant has dark green toothy leaves. Tiny yellow-green clusters of flowers appear in the summer. Because of its size, lovage works well as a border in the garden.
Although it is hard to find fresh lovage in any store, it is very easy to grow and the seeds can be found at any specialty herb nursery. Lovage grows well in the shade and in the sun. It will do best in well drained, rich soil but isn’t too picky. Pale leaves are the plant’s way of telling you it needs more fertilizer. One or two plants will provide as much lovage as one can use and can easily be divided and propagated to share with neighbors. The plant will die back in the winter and come back up in early spring and will return for many years if well cared for.
Lovage can be used in any dish that calls for celery or parsley. It gives an extra kick to green salads, potato dishes, rice and tomato dishes, as well as soups and stews. Herb pastas can also benefit from the addition of lovage. All parts of the plant can be used. The hollow stalks have even been used as straws in Bloody Mary drinks. Fresh leaves are used in salads, and dry leaves and stalks can be chopped and used in soups, stews and sauces, and seeds can be used in breads, pickling brines, cheeses and spreads. To save the seeds off of a flowering plant, cut off the flowering stalks when the seeds are ripe and dry them by hanging upside down by the base of the stem. Lovage is far more concentrated than celery, so a little goes a long way. One of the best uses for lovage is as a substitute for salt. Its strong flavor heightens the taste without adding sodium to your diet.
Lovage not only tastes good, but is good for you as well. It is high in vitamin C and has been used as a diuretic and as treatment for rheumatism, jaundice, sore throats and stomach ailments. Lovage has been thought to clear up skin problems and the leaves were once placed in travelers’ shoes to soothe weary feet. So add some lovage to your garden this spring. It tastes good, it’s good for you, and you can even use its hollow stem as a straw in your cold beverage when you sit back and admire your beautiful garden this summer.
This article appears in March 2024.