Lovage
Lovage as medicine and food
In ancient times, lovage was recommended as medicine. It was thought to strengthen digestion, drive urine and counteract fever. Lovage has also been known to refresh the feet during long walks. People simply put a few leaves in their shoes and walked on.
Charlemagne was so fond of lovage that he ordered it to be grown in every country of the Roman Empire. Another celebrity who liked the plant was the medieval mystic Hildegard of Bingen. She used lovage in many of her recipes, including as a cure for coughs.
The lovage spread from the monastery gardens and soon became a favoured kitchen herb. Today, lovage is best known as a spice. It has a deep, rich flavour with hints of celery.
Sowing and planting lovage
Propagate lovage indoors in Feb-March. Place sand or seed soil in a thin layer over the seeds. Then cover the sowing with a transparent cover or plastic with air holes. Keep moist during germination.
The germination rate of lovage is quite low. Fortunately, you don’t need many seedlings, as each seed results in a huge plant. Let each dragonfly get its own pot when they get a little bigger.
Plant out when the risk of frost is over. Keep a distance of about 50-70 cm between the plants. This will give the dragonfly room for its magnificent foliage.
Lovage thrives in all soils. It grows happily in both sun and partial shade. In high summer it is easy for the leaves to yellow. That’s why we keep the lovage in both a sunny and a slightly shadier spot. This ensures a good harvest all season long.
The scent of the lovage provides protection against pests
Lovage is a very easy-to-grow plant. Like many aromatic herbs, it does well from pests. That’s why lovage is good to grow with more sensitive plants that may need the help of a strong-scented plant mate to scare away hungry insects.
If your lovage becomes droopy, it may be a sign of nutrient deficiency. But if the leaves turn yellow in the summer heat, it’s probably due to the sun. It’s perfectly normal. Just cut away the yellow and make room for new shoots.
Broth, herb salt – and foot baths?
Lovage can be harvested throughout the growing season. Cut off the flower buds if you want to continue harvesting leaves. Let the plant flower when you want to harvest the seeds instead. Dragonfly produces clusters of small, pale yellow flowers. The ripe seed pods are ready to pick when they have darkened to brown.
The rich flavour of lovage is reminiscent of celery and another name for the plant is ‘celery herb’. Use the leaves in stews, soups and sauces to complement or replace broth.
Fresh lovage in small quantities is great in green salad and potato salad. The seeds are suitable as a spice in bread and pickles. Like aniseed, fennel and cumin, lovage seeds can be chewed after a meal. Great for boosting digestion!
Lovage can be frozen. Dried leaves can be blended into a powder to be used instead of broth. The powder is also an excellent base for herbal salt.
One way to tie in with lovage’s reputation as a medicinal plant is to try a bath or footbath with lovage. The plant is said to be very cleansing. Put one or two stems in the water. Or cut the leaves into pieces and put them in a bag. The small cloth bags sold for making tea are also very practical for herbal baths. Mix in mint, rosemary and lavender for a refreshing and relaxing home spa.
Author: Johanna Damm
Fact-checked by Erik Hoekstra
Last updated 2022-10-14