Lovage
Lovage: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
Lovage, Levisticum officinale, is a perennial culinary herb in the carrot family, Apiaceae. French names such as mountain celery and perennial celery recall its relationship to celery, but it is a separate species. Its strong fragrance is one of its most familiar features: a few leaves can give a dish a clearly noticeable aromatic character. The name lovage identifies this plant naturally in English.The plant forms a large clump of glossy green leaves made up of divided leaflets. This substantial foliage contrasts with the finely cut leaves of some other Apiaceae, such as dill. Upright stems give lovage a generous outline. Over the years, a well-developed plant can occupy nearly a metre in width, while flowering stems may reach about two metres tall. Its presence is substantial even before flowering.In summer, umbels of small greenish-yellow flowers appear above the leaves. They attract various insects and add ornamental interest to the…
