Lovage
Levisticum officinale — Apiaceae
Italiano: Levistico — Sedano di montagna
Description
Lovage (Levisticum officinale) belongs to the Apiaceae family and is native to Europe. It thrives in Mountain meadows, Gardens, Streamsides environments across regions including Central Europe, Mountains, Gardens naturalized. Botanically, Lovage is strong celery-like herb. Leaves flavor soups. Seeds spice. Roots medicinal.. It is also known locally as Sedano di montagna. The edible parts include Leaves, Seeds, Roots. With an edibility rating of 7/10, it ranks as a good wild food source. Harvesting is best done during April, August, July, June, May and September. Nutritionally, Lovage stands out for its Vitamin C (35.0mg, 39% DV), Vitamin K (40.0mg, 33% DV) and Iron (2.0mg, 11% DV). It also provides 2.0g protein and 2.5g dietary fiber per 100g serving. In the kitchen, Lovage offers a Strong celery intense flavor profile. Leaves in soup seeds spice root tea. Common culinary applications include soup seasoning, seed spice, root tea. Popular preparations include Lovage soup, Lovage seed spice, Lovage root, Toasted seed snack. For storage, dried leaves 12mo. Safety note: No toxicity. Antinutrient content is essential oils moderate phthalides. Safe lookalike species include Celery cultivated. Always verify identification with at least three independent botanical sources before consumption.
🌿 Foraging Tips
🍳 Recipe: Lovage soup
This is one of the traditional ways to prepare this wild edible plant. Always ensure proper plant identification before cooking.
Edibility
Harvest Calendar
Nutrition (per 100g)
Culinary Uses: soup seasoning, seed spice, root tea Storage: Dried leaves 12mo
Recipes
- Lovage soup
- Lovage seed spice
- Lovage root
- Toasted seed snack
- Seed flour bread
- Seed dressing granola
- Wild winter pesto made from Lovage
- Traditional Lovage soup
