# Lovage

Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is the only species in its genus and belongs to the subfamily Apioideae of the family Apiaceae (which also contains carrots and celery). Lovage is a perennial plant native to Afghanistan and Iran but has been cultivated in Europe for centuries. Lovage has also been introduced into Southeast Asia, North America, and South America. The leaves are used as a herb, the roots as a vegetable, and the seeds as a spice.

## Quotes

* Lovage (Levisticum officinale, Koch.), a perennial, native of the Mediterranean region. The large, dark-green, shining radical leaves are usually divided into two or three segments. Toward the top the thick, hollow, erect stems divide to form opposite, whorled branches which bear umbels of yellow flowers, followed by highly aromatic, hollowed fruits ("seeds") with three prominent ribs. Propagation is by division or by seeds not over three years old. In late summer when the seed ripens, it is sown and the seedlings transplanted either in the fall or as early in spring as possible to their permanent places. Rich, moist soil is needed. Root division is performed in early spring. With cultivation and alternation like that given to Angelica, the plants should last for several years. Formerly lovage was used for a great variety of purposes, but nowadays it is restricted almost wholly to confectionery, the young stems being handled like those of Angelica. So far as I have been able to learn, the leaf stalks and stem bases, which were formerly blanched like celery, are no longer used in this way.
** Maurice Grenville Kains (1868–1946), Culinary Herbs: Their Cultivation Harvesting Curing and Uses. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. 2017. pp. 99–100. ISBN 1975833414. (reprint of 1920 edition; 1st edition 1912)
* Herbs ... were an ubiquitous feature of the (English) countryside, found in hedgerows, woods, and fields. Lovage (Levisticum officinale Koch.), which belongs to the Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) family, is a perennial plant that grows easily and has an umami-like taste and a celery-like flavour, thus leading to its name as the Maggi plant. Lovage also gives rise to a gentle mouth-tingling gustatory effect due to the presence of ligustilide, a volatile TRPA1 modulator. Charting the history of lovage's use in cooking, this narrative historical review will hopefully help to draw attention to a versatile and flavourful culinary herb that has largely been replaced in recipes by celery and/or parsley.
** Charles Spence, (September 2023)"Lovage: A neglected culinary herb". International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science 33. DOI:10.1016/j.ijgfs.2023.100764.
* Lovage. Ligusticum levisticum L. This plant is yet to be rarely found in gardens. At the present day, says Vilmorin, Lovage is almost exclusively used in the manufacture of confectionery; formerly the leaf stalks and bottoms of the stems were eaten, blanched like celery. ... The whole plant has a strong, sweetish, aromatic odor, and a warm, pungent taste, and is probably grown now in America, as in 1806, rather as a medicinal than as a culinary herb. It appears to have known to Ruellius in 1536, who calls it Levisticum officinarum, and www only seen in gardens by Chabræus ... in 1677.
** Edward Lewis Sturtevant, (1889). "History of Garden Vegetables (continued from p. 987, vol. 1888)". The American Naturalist: 665–677. (quote from 667–668)
* Lovage Probably the easiest of all culinary herbs to grow, lovage bursts up from below ground every spring at about this time. It has a rich, brothy flavour, halfway between celery seed and stock cubes, which is probably why the herb (despite being a rare find in UK shops) is still a popular ingredient in sauces and gravies on the continent. Lovage plants are vigorous growers, unfussy about site and soil. In fact, bucking the trend for most herbs, which tend to demand sunny, well-drained sites, it’s perfectly at home even on shady sites.
** James Wong, (10 Mar 2019)"Three neglected herbs to enrich your kitchen garden. Plant lovage, hyssop and summer savory for both your patch and your table’s sake". The Guardian.

## External links

* Encyclopedic article on Lovage on Wikipedia
* (March 17, 2022)"Lovage: Perennial Celery, Perfect for Food Forests, Veggie Gardens, & Fruit Guilds". Parkrose Permaculture, YouTube.