Lovage: the secret ingredient

Flower & Garden Magazine, May-June, 1997 by Mary N. Ganter

Every part of the lovage plant is useful: the leaves are a versatile culinary herb, the ground seeds are an aromatic substitute for pepper, the stems may be eaten as a vegetable, and the root makes a tonic tea. Herb gardeners in the Middle Ages grew lovage as a matter of course; it figured in countless folk remedies for everything from pinkeye to kidney stones. They also put it in love potions to ensure fidelity and in bath water as a deodorant. Today, though its bed and bath applications have been abandoned almost entirely, lovage still makes important contributions in the kitchen.

The flavor of its leaves is usually and accurately compared to celery and parsley. But lovage has an underlying taste that's warmer and more complex, hinting at the spice blends of Indian cooking. Lovage belongs in potato salads and green salads, with tuna and in turkey dressing, in soup stock, vegetable sauces, meat pies and, best of all, on BLTs -- L for lovage. Since it is so versatile and valuable, why it is not more familiar?

One reason is its size. A healthy lovage plant can grow to be 6 feet tall, spread in a clump 3 feet wide and put out inch-thick roots in all directions. Such a plant has to have a place of its own, at the back of a border or on the boundary of a garden bed; it begs for space and simply won't thrive without it. A single specimen can supply more than enough herbage for a household and, in a way, its own bounty works against it. Raising a big, obvious, semi-permanent plant with a potential life span of 20 years can seem an intimidating responsibility. It is certainly a more substantial act of will than growing chives in a window box.

Happily, lovage is as easy to grow as oregano and in the long run makes less trouble than most other perennial herbs. It is commonly propagated by division because new clumps are rapidly established from sections of mature root to which some foliage is still attached. Older plants should be divided every four or five years.

Propagation by seed is also possible. In mild climates seed is sown outside in late summer or fall; in cold zones it can be started indoors in early spring and transplanted when the weather settles. Because germination rates are erratic, sow many seeds and thin to the needed number.

Young plants should be set out at least 2 feet apart in moist, fertile soil. Lovage prefers full sun but will grow in partial shade. In very hot locations some shade is indispensable. Remember that lovage shares celery's intolerance of dry conditions. Heavy mulching with hay or straw is recommended to conserve moisture. It also encourages earthworms, which digest the mulch, increasing the calcium supply. Lovage responds well to periodic applications of fish emulsion. Prematurely yellow leaves are a signal that the herb suffers from insufficient nutrients, insufficient water or both.

A contented plant grows glossy green leaves on hollow, ribbed, 2-foot stems. In June or July a flower stalk emerges from the center of the clump to stand 6 or 7 feet tall. Small yellow flowers in bundles of umbels ripen to brownish seeds much loved by goldfinches. If you want more leaf and less height, cut back the flower stalk. A more compact plant results, but you'll have no seeds for breads, biscuits and birds. Lovage is hardy to Zone 3; it dies to the ground in winter and returns with vigor the following spring.

The primary threat to the well-being of a lovage plant is the leaf miner. These pests are tiny black flies, 1/10 inch long, with yellow stripes. Their larvae develop from eggs laid on the underside of the leaves. Beginning in spring the larvae tunnel inside the leaves and stems, damaging tissues and spreading rot diseases. Their presence in the leaves is indicated by the meandering white or translucent trails they blaze through foliage. The larvae eventually drop to the ground and pupate in their cocoons, emerging later as adults.

Cleanliness is the best defense against this pest. Remove and destroy infested leaves. Shallow cultivation of the earth in fall helps by exposing the pupae to cold. Do this again in spring to expose them to predators. Agricultural fleece (row covers) may protect small plants from egg-laying flies, but this isn't a permanent solution. Hand-picking of the chalky white, dry eggs is effective if it is done systematically, once a week for a month, followed up by a spray of light horticultural oil, which will suffocate any menacing remnant. Sometimes lovage seed heads attract aphids but this problem is succinctly solved by gently bending the heads into a basin of soapy water and swishing them around to dislodge the insects. Naturally, this should be done before the seeds are fully ripe.

After you've met the challenge of growing it, you will probably come to love lovage in the kitchen. Lovage's unique flavor is complementary to sloppy Joes, meat loaf, curries and Waldorf salad. Diners notice a difference and ask, "What's in this?" When cooking with lovage, use a light hand; too much of it will overwhelm neighboring flavors. Also, its reputation as an aphrodisiac has been debunked; more lovage does not mean more love. Finally, all of its parts are good for something, but the tenderest leaves are the best.