Lovage is an erect, herbaceous, perennial plant growing to 1.8–2.5 m (6–8 ft) tall, with a basal rosette of leaves and stems with further leaves, the flowers being produced in umbels at the top of the stems. The stems and leaves are shiny glabrous green to yellow-green and smell somewhat similar to celery when crushed. The larger basal leaves are up to 70 cm (28 in) long, tripinnate, with broad triangular to rhomboidal, acutely pointed leaflets with a few marginal teeth; the stem leaves are smaller, and less divided with few leaflets. The flowers are yellow to greenish-yellow, 2–3 mm (1⁄16–1⁄8 in) diameter, produced in globose umbels up to 10–15 cm (4–6 in) diameter; flowering is in late spring. The fruit is a dry two-parted schizocarp 4–7 mm (3⁄16–1⁄4 in) long, mature in autumn.
Lovage Care
Levisticum Officinale
Other names: Maggi Plant, Smellage
If you’ve recognized any mistakes feel free to notify us about it. This would help us to provide only the best-quality information.
Humidity
Normal
Lighting
Full Sun
Hardiness zone
4 - 8
Difficulty
Easy
How to Care for the Plant
Water
Keep the soil in the container consistently moist – do not overwater and try not to let it dry out during its growing season.
Pruning
Cutting the flower stalks as directed will also keep the lovage leaves from getting too bitter. However, if you’re into lovage for purely aesthetic reasons versus culinary, then you would be interested to know that the flowers are chartreuse
Fertilizer
Feed container grown lovage monthly with an all-purpose liquid fertilizer.
Soil
Growing lovage requires soil with a pH of 6.5 and sandy, loamy soils. Lovage plants are hardy to USDA plant hardiness zone 4.
Container
Repot with fresh soil in the spring, resume watering and fertilizing, and soon it will re-sprout and you will once again be blessed with fresh leaves. To keep the plant vigorous and to contain its size, you will want to divide the root ball every 3-4 years.
Popularity
260 people already have this plant 19 people have added this plant to their wishlists
Discover more plants with the list below
