Bladder seed Levisticum officinale

Lovage is a flowering, herbaceous perennial in the carrot family and native to the eastern Mediterranean countries. Lovage produces showy flowers in the spring, with fragrant leaves and edible fruit. It is a culinary herb and all of the plant can be consumed: with seeds used in breads and cakes, leaves used in tea, soup, stews, and chicken dishes, and the flowers, which taste like celery, found in salads and broths. Even the roots are edible. The genus name comes from the Greek term for an unidentified plant. The species name means sold in shops.

Lovage does best in moist, well-drained deep fertile soil in full sun to part shade. The plant requires pruning during the growing season (late spring to early fall) to encourage a supply of fresh, new leaves and old foliage can be removed in late fall. The plant has been known to escape cultivation and spread (it is considered invasive in New England). To prevent the plant from spreading, you should harvest seeds from the plant at regular intervals. 

The plant is often grown in herb or kitchen gardens and will reach a mature height of 6 feet with a 3 foot spread. It is rhizomatous with underground stems that send roots and shoots along their length.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:  

Susceptible to tarnished plant bug, celery worm and leafminer, early blight, late blight and leaf spots.