When can I pick lovage?

From March onwards — lovage is one of the earliest usable greens of the year. Young tender leaves appear in early spring and are at peak flavour through April–June. Midsummer foliage gets coarse and very strongly flavoured — too strong for most uses except long-simmered stocks. Cut the plant down hard in mid-July for a fresh flush of tender leaves through late summer and autumn. Stops cropping in late autumn when the plant dies back; returns each spring.

Is lovage the same as celery?

No — different plant, similar flavour. Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is a hardy perennial herb in the carrot family with celery-parsley flavour. Celery (Apium graveolens) is a biennial vegetable in the same family, grown for the swollen stems. They share the carrot-family aroma but are different species. Lovage substitutes well for celery in soups, stocks, and stews — one tablespoon of chopped lovage leaves replaces a whole celery stick in flavour intensity. Don't substitute the other way (lovage is too strong for fresh salads).

How big does lovage get?

Big — 1.5–2 m tall when flowering, 1 m wide at the base. This is a back-of-the-border plant, not a herb-bed neighbour for parsley and chives. Allow 1 m² of space and don't plant near small delicate herbs that the lovage will overshadow. If your garden is small, consider whether you really need lovage — one plant is enough for a household and supermarket parsley/celery substitutes work for most cooking.

Will lovage survive a UK winter?

Yes — very hardy (RHS H7). The above-ground foliage dies back completely in late autumn and the plant retreats to its deep taproot, returning each spring (early March in mild gardens, late March further north). Survives any UK winter without protection. Established lovage is essentially indestructible — it lives 10+ years and gets more vigorous over time. Two cautions: (1) doesn't tolerate waterlogged soil; (2) avoid transplanting mature plants (long taproot resents disturbance).

Can I grow lovage in a pot?

Possible but limiting. Lovage has a long deep taproot and wants 1 m of root space — even a 40 cm pot restricts it. Pot lovage stays smaller (1 m tall instead of 2 m), produces fewer leaves, and may need division every 2–3 years. Better in the ground if you have space. If you only have a pot: choose the largest container you can manage (50 cm+), use deep root-friendly compost, and keep the plant smaller by cutting hard back twice a year.

What does lovage taste like?

Strong celery-parsley-anise, with a slight bitter edge. The flavour is far stronger than celery — one chopped tablespoon of lovage leaves replaces a whole celery stick in flavour intensity, so use sparingly. Classic uses: soups (especially clear chicken broth), stews, beef stocks, lentil dishes, savoury pies. Less traditional: lovage leaves can replace celery in salad if used very sparingly, or as a herb butter for fish. The seeds have an even stronger celery flavour — used in pickling.

Liebstöckel

Levisticum officinale

Plant lovage from a young plant in spring, or sow seed direct in late summer, in sun or part shade in any decent garden soil — it's a very hardy perennial that grows large (2 m tall when flowering) and gives strong celery-and-parsley flavour to soups, stocks, and salads. Lovage is very hardy (RHS H7) and the leaves are one of the first usable greens of the year, appearing in March. One plant is enough for a household — lovage is too big and too strongly flavoured to want more. Cut foliage hard back in mid-summer for a fresh flush of tender leaves; the older summer foliage gets coarse and intensely strong. An old-fashioned UK herb less grown today, but unbeatable for stocks and stews. Self-seeds modestly but doesn't take over.

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