If you’ve never grown lovage before, get ready to make space for your new favorite herb. This old-fashioned plant doesn’t get the hype it deserves, but once you’ve got it in your garden, you’ll be wondering why everyone isn’t obsessed with it.
So what is it? Lovage tastes like super-charged celery with a slightly spicy, lemony kick. And the cool part? It grows huge. Like, 5 to 6 feet tall if you let it do its thing. But don’t worry — it’s not needy. Lovage is a perennial herb, which means you plant it once and it comes back year after year like that reliable friend who always shows up with snacks.
Where it grows best: Lovage is hardy in Zones 4 through 8, so if you’re anywhere from southern Canada to much of the U.S., you’re golden. It likes full sun to partial shade and decent soil, but honestly? It’s not that picky. Just water it when things get dry and it’ll keep chugging along.
Pro tips:
Give it space — this plant gets BIG.
Cut it back if it starts flowering early, unless you want it going to seed.
You can eat basically the whole thing: the leaves go great in soups and salads, the stems are like herbal celery straws, and even the seeds can be dried and used as a seasoning.
Bottom line? Lovage is like that overachiever in the herb world that somehow still flies under the radar. If you want a low-maintenance, high-reward addition to your garden, this is it.