Lovage

Lovage
Levisticum officinale

‘Lovage’ plants grows fifty inches in height, or taller, and produce umbels (clusters) of beautiful yellow flowers. Over the centuries it has been used as both a medicinal and culinary herb but it is not grown almost exclusively as an ornamental and to flavor confections. Its seeds are aromatic and used in cakes, while its young leafstalks and stems can be blanched and used like celery in soups and salads. Fresh leaves and stems can be finely chopped and used to enhance the flavor of meat-based soups and stews. It is also used in an old English cordial, simply named “Lovage.”

  ‘Lovage’ was historically used for its carminative and diuretic properties.^[1,2] In actuality, the roots contain a heavy, volatile oil, that is is technically a mild aquaretic, and not a true diuretic. For medicinal purposes, the root, leaves and seeds were all used to create various medicines and cures.