How long does lovage take to grow from seed?

Lovage seeds germinate in 10-21 days, and plants reach harvestable size (8-10 inches) about 8-10 weeks after transplanting. Plants typically don't flower until the second year, focusing first-year energy on establishing extensive root systems for long-term productivity.

Is lovage easy to grow?

Yes! Lovage is one of the easiest perennial herbs to grow. It thrives with minimal care once established, tolerates cold to -5°F, and returns reliably every spring for 10-15 years or more. The main requirement is keeping soil consistently moist, especially during establishment.

What does lovage taste like and how do you use it?

Lovage has a bold celery-like flavor with hints of parsley and anise—similar to celery but stronger and more complex. Use young leaves fresh in salads, cook older leaves in soups and stews, use hollow stems as celery substitutes, flavor breads and vinegars with aromatic seeds, and cook mature roots (3+ years old) like celeriac.

Can lovage grow in containers?

Yes, lovage grows in containers but requires large pots—at least 18-24 inches deep and wide—to accommodate its substantial taproot system. Container plants need more frequent watering and feeding than garden-grown specimens but can produce well for years.

Lovage Seeds / Levisticum officinale - Southern Garden Nursery

Description

Lovage (Levisticum officinale) has been treasured in European kitchen gardens since medieval times, when it graced nearly every household plot for both culinary and medicinal purposes.

This impressive perennial herb in the Apiaceae family—related to celery, parsley, and fennel—originated in the Mediterranean region where the Romans valued it so highly they carried it throughout their conquests.

The bold celery-like flavor with hints of parsley and anise makes lovage indispensable in the kitchen, while its architectural presence adds drama to herb and cottage gardens.

Unlike celery, which must be replanted annually, lovage is a long-lived perennial that returns reliably year after year, often thriving for 10-15 years with minimal care. Plants emerge among the first herbs each spring, providing fresh leaves when little else is available in the garden.

The entire plant is useful—young leaves enliven salads and soups, hollow stems substitute for celery in cooking, aromatic seeds flavor breads and vinegars, and roots from mature plants (3+ years old) can be harvested and cooked like celeriac.

Beyond culinary value, lovage serves multiple garden functions. The greenish-yellow umbrella-shaped flowers attract beneficial insects including parasitic wasps and tachinid flies that provide natural pest control.

The plant makes an excellent companion for potatoes and root vegetables, reportedly improving their health and flavor. Lovage can even serve as a trap crop, drawing tomato hornworms away from tomato plants.

Once established, this drought-tolerant herb requires minimal maintenance while providing abundant harvests throughout the growing season.

Lovage Details

Lifespan: Perennial
Hardiness Zones: 3-9
Height: 3-7 feet tall
Spread: 2-3 feet wide
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Bloom Time: Midsummer (second year and beyond)
Flower Color: Greenish-yellow
Days to Germination: 10-21 days
Days to First Harvest: 8-10 weeks from transplanting

Growing Instructions

Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost; direct sow in early spring or early fall. Sow seeds about 1/4 inch deep, and space plants 18-24 inches apart. Plant in full sun, but lovage tolerates partial shade.

See complete growing instructions for lovage HERE.

Ready to Grow Lovage in Your Garden?

Add lovage seeds to your herb garden and enjoy decades of abundant harvests from this impressive, easy-care perennial. This ancient culinary herb brings bold flavor, beneficial insects, and architectural beauty to your garden!

TERMS OF SALE

Hand-packed by weight: You will receive a minimum of 200mg of seed, approximately 1,400 tiny seeds.

Shipping Cost is Flat Rate and covers all seeds purchased in a single transaction from Southern Garden, with no additional charges no matter how many you order.