Organically grown at KoruKai Herb Farm, New Zealand, without synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, or herbicides.
Lovage is one of Europe's oldest culinary herbs and has been grown in monastery, cottage, and kitchen gardens for centuries. A member of the Apiaceae family alongside carrot, celery, parsley and fennel, it is a hardy perennial that returns reliably each spring, producing abundant aromatic foliage for many years.
Every part of the plant is useful. The leaves, stems, roots and seeds all have a rich, savoury flavour reminiscent of celery, making lovage an indispensable herb in the kitchen.
Growing up in Germany, my grandmother always called it "Maggi-Kraut" (Maggi Herb) because its distinctive aroma closely resembles the famous Maggi seasoning traditionally used in soups and broths. It remains one of our favourite perennial vegetables at KoruKai Herb Farm, where it grows happily in our food forest and provides fresh harvests for much of the year.
Your order contains one healthy dormant crown. Plant it with the growing bud just beneath the soil surface and it will emerge vigorously in spring.
See image below with an example crown and growing bud.
Growing Conditions
Lovage is an exceptionally hardy, long-lived perennial that is remarkably easy to grow. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers fertile, moisture-retentive, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Once established, plants require very little maintenance and can remain productive in the same location for many years. Mature plants commonly reach 1.5–2 metres tall, producing impressive umbels of yellow flowers in summer that attract bees, hoverflies and other beneficial insects.
At KoruKai Herb Farm we grow lovage successfully in our food forest, where it competes well with neighbouring plants and benefits from an annual mulch of compost and organic matter.
Lovage readily self-seeds if flower heads are left to mature, although seedlings are easy to identify and remove where not wanted. We have never found it to be invasive.
Regular harvesting or cutting back some stems throughout the season encourages fresh, tender new growth.
Planting Instructions
Choose a permanent position in your herb garden, vegetable garden, orchard or food forest.
Before planting:
- Enrich the soil with compost, vermicast or well-rotted manure.
- Plant the dormant crown so the growing bud sits just below the soil surface.
- Space plants approximately 60 cm apart.
- Water thoroughly after planting.
- Apply a generous mulch of straw, autumn leaves or other organic material to conserve moisture and discourage birds from disturbing the crown.
- Mark the planting site, as the foliage dies back completely over winter before re-emerging in spring.
Water regularly during the first summer while the plant establishes. Once mature, lovage becomes quite drought tolerant but performs best with consistent moisture and an annual application of compost and mulch.
Harvesting
Harvest leaves and stems regularly throughout spring, summer and autumn to encourage continuous production of fresh new growth. The flavour is at its best while the leaves are young and tender, before flowering begins. Cut stems close to the base of the plant using secateurs or a sharp knife. Allow some flower heads to mature if you wish to collect the aromatic seeds. Harvest them once they have turned brown and dry in late summer. Place the seed heads into a paper bag and gently rub them between your fingers to release the seeds.
After 2–3 years, the roots are also ready to harvest. Lift part of the root system during winter dormancy, wash thoroughly, peel, and use fresh or dry for later use. The remaining crown can be replanted to continue growing.
Drying and Storage
For winter use, harvest healthy stems before flowering and dry them in a warm, shaded, well-ventilated place or in a dehydrator at 35–40°C until the leaves become crisp.
Strip the dried leaves from the stems and store them in airtight glass jars or paper bags in a cool, dark place. The quicker the leaves are dried, the more flavour they retain.
Culinary Uses
Lovage is one of those herbs that quickly becomes indispensable once you start growing it.
The leaves add a rich, savoury flavour to:
- Soups and bone broths
- Stews and casseroles
- Potato dishes
- Sauces and gravies
- Egg dishes
- Stuffings
- Salads
- Vegetable dishes
The hollow stems can be used much like celery or lightly sautéed in butter. The seeds make an excellent seasoning for breads, soups, roasted vegetables and meat dishes, while the peeled roots can be grated into salads, cooked as a vegetable, or dried for tea.
Some favourite ways we use lovage at KoruKai Herb Farm
- Adding fresh leaves to soups, stews and bone broths
- Stirring chopped leaves through mashed potatoes
- Mixing into potato salad
- Making lovage salt by blending dried leaves with sea salt
- Infusing homemade apple cider vinegar with fresh leaves and stems
- Sautéing young stems in butter as a simple side dish
- Brewing a warming herbal tea from the leaves or roots
With its exceptional flavour, ease of growing, and abundant harvests year after year, lovage is one of the most rewarding perennial herbs you can add to a kitchen garden or food forest.
