HOW 



A B r T 



HERBS 



M^t^ 



Love that Lovage 



(levisticum officmale umbelliferae) 



BY MADDY PERRON 



An herb garden isn't complete without at least one 

 lovage plant. A perennial, hardy to zone 3, lovage 

 will thrive here in the Northeast with very little ef- 

 fort on the gardener's part. It grows well in full sun 

 or part shade. Lovage prefers moist, fertile, and well- 

 drained soil. 



Native to the Mediterranean region, lovage grows 

 in Greece, the Balkans and the South of France. This 

 stately plant can grow up to 7 feet if well cared for, 

 but usually grows 3 to 5 feet. Having green, celery- 

 like leaves, hollow stems, and sulfur yellow flowers, it 

 makes a beautiful specimen garden plant. 



For culinary use, lovage is used in place of celery- 

 Its flavor is similar to celery but much more intense. 

 A little goes a long way. In years past, the dried root 

 and seed was used as a substitute for pepper to sea- 

 son meats and broths. The young leaves are chopped 

 up fine and added to salads. This herb is great in po- 

 tato salad. Lovage is a good substitute for celery in 

 soups and stews. A fresh brewed pot of lovage tea left 

 uncovered will freshen up a home. A just picked bou- 

 quet of lovage stems yields the same result. After 

 chopping onions, the strong odor can be removed by 

 rubbing lovage leaves in your hands. 



The root is the part of the plant most used for 

 medicines. It has been used for rheumatism, jaundice, 

 malaria, sore throat, kidney stones, and as an antisep- 

 tic on wounds. Some Europeans still use it for minor 

 stomachaches, kidney problems, and headaches. Scien- 

 tists in this day and age state that lovage is in fact a 

 diuretic, particularly the root. It can also be affective 

 against flatulence. A medicinal tea can be made with 

 one teaspoon of dried lovage root to a cup of boiling 

 water. Lovage should only be used in small amounts 

 though, as a large dose can cause kidney damage. 



Storing lovage for winter can be as simple as freez- 

 ing the leaves in baggies, but the flavor is better if 

 you blanch them first. Most herbalists prefer to dry 

 it though by snipping off small branches and hang- 

 ing them upside down in an airv location, awav from 



direct sunlight. This year I used my dehydrator, and 

 it only took a day or two, leaving the house smelling 

 great. The root can be dried by slicing into '/:" pieces 

 and drying them on a screen in a warm shady place. 



Most gardeners find that one or two plants are 

 sufficient to supply a family with plenty of lovage. 

 Given its size, it makes an impressive background 

 plant, even if you don't plan to harvest it. 



In folklore, its reported that lovage seeds were used 

 to make love potions giving the plant its name of 

 lovage or "love parsley". 



Maddy Perron is a Master Gardener from New Boston 

 with a special interest in herbs. 



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SPRING 200-1 



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