Lovage
Lovage is a heirloom herb. Germination takes 7-14 days and fruit ripens from about day 90. Skin runs to green. Water need is regular; consistent moisture of 1-1.5 inches weekly, avoid waterlogging. Suits zones 4-9.
Sowing
Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last spring frost; scatter seeds on moist soil and press gently (seeds require light to germinate). Harden off seedlings and transplant after last frost.
Cultivation
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade (4-6+ hours)
- Water
- Regular; consistent moisture of 1-1.5 inches weekly, avoid waterlogging
- Soil
- Moist, well-draining loam rich in organic matter
- Spacing
- 18-24 inches
- Height
- 3-6 feet
- Season
- Perennial
Appearance & flavour
- Colour
- Green
- Shape
- Deeply divided, celery-like foliage; thick, smooth, hollow stems
- Flavour
- Celery-forward with distinct anise, parsley, and faint yeast undertones; young leaves and stems are bright and herbaceous; mature foliage becomes more intense and slightly bitter.
In the kitchen
Spring tonic salads, potato dishes, rice dishes, soups, poultry preparations, herb broths, stock flavoring, tea infusions from leaves and roots
Pests, disease & resistance
- Pests
- Rarely troubled by pests; occasional spider mites or aphids in dry conditions
- Diseases
- Root rot in waterlogged soil; powdery mildew in poor air circulation; generally disease-resistant when grown in well-draining soil
Planting calendar by USDA zone
| Zone | Start indoors | Transplant | Direct sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | April – May | June – July | — | July – October |
| 4 | March – April | June – July | — | July – October |
| 5 | March – April | May – June | — | June – October |
| 6 | March – April | May – June | — | June – November |
| 7 | February – March | April – June | — | June – November |
| 8 | February – March | April – May | — | May – December |
| 9 | January – February | March – April | — | April – December |
| 10 | January | February – April | — | April – December |
Companion planting
8 beneficial pairings indexed for this variety, 3 to avoid.
Avoid
Nutrition (per 100 g)
- Calories (per 100 g)
- 23
- Protein (g)
- 3.15
- Fat (g)
- 0.64
- Carbohydrate (g)
- 2.65
- Fibre (g)
- 1.6
- Sugars (g)
- 0.3
- Vitamin A (µg)
- 264
- Vitamin C (mg)
- 18
- Vitamin E (mg)
- 0.8
- Vitamin K (µg)
- 415
- Vitamin B6 (mg)
- 0.155
- Folate (µg)
- 68
- Calcium (mg)
- 177
- Iron (mg)
- 3.17
- Magnesium (mg)
- 64
- Phosphorus (mg)
- 56
- Potassium (mg)
- 295
- Zinc (mg)
- 0.81
- Selenium (µg)
- 0.3
Where to buy seed and equipment
Some links are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Cultivar facts compiled from public horticultural references including USDA GRIN and NC State Extension. Descriptions are original to this catalogue.
Grown Lovage?
Post a crop report — day counts, reservoir readings, what worked. Variety-specific logs are the most useful thing on the forum.
Similar varieties
Other herbs with a comparable time to harvest, so a season that suits Lovage suits these too.
- Orange Thyme 90 days
- Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote' 90 days
- Holy Basil 90 days
- Common Thyme 90 days
- Lemon Verbena 90 days
- Creeping 90 days