Leaf
4028mdk09, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Lovage
Levisticum officinale W.D.J.Koch
Also known as: Love parsley
Family: Apiaceae
1 to 2 m tall
Vegetable and herb gardens, rich moist soils
Flowering: June – August
Full sun
Part shade
-25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
The whole plant has a powerful, concentrated celery flavour, so much so that it is sometimes called 'bastard celery' in cooking.
🍃 Leaves
Large compound leaves, glossy, with a strong smell reminiscent of celery
🌸 Flowers
Small greenish-yellow flowers in large compound umbels
🍎 Fruits
Ovate achenes, yellow to brown, aromatic, ridged
🪵 Bark
Large perennial rootstock, hollow, sturdy, upright stems
🗺️ Distribution
Native to south-western Asia; grown in Europe since antiquity as an aromatic and medicinal plant.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Large umbels very rich in nectar, visited by many foraging insects in summer.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Herb garden, back of the vegetable plot; all parts (leaves, stems, roots, seeds) are used in cooking as a substitute for celery.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Non-toxic; traditional aromatic and medicinal plant.
🌿 Other Apiaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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