Garden lovage (Levisticum officinale)
Description
“Pet poisonous” - Toxic to Dogs The lovage or lovage ( Levisticum officinale W.DJ Koch , 1824 ) is a perennial plant of the family of Apiaceae . The lovage is a perennial herbaceous plant whose erect stem can grow up to the height of 2 meters. The leaves, like appearance and taste, recall those of celery.It is likely to be native to Southwest Asia . It grows up to 1800 m asl , and is a very rustic plant; it is found both in uncultivated land and in orchards, and sometimes it subsurfaces. In Italy it is a rare species. We collect the leaves to be used fresh in risottos, broths, meats, stews, chicken, cod; the ripe seed of this plant is used in liqueurs, salads, squashed; the aroma of the plant is similar to celery, but it is more pleasant. The lovage is used as a substitute for an Indian spice , the Ajowan , being the first most common in Europe . The lovage, also called "mountain sedano", was used extensively in the cuisine of ancient Rome. It is indeed present in many of Apicius's recipes , for example in De re coquinaria . It was also much appreciated by Benedictine monks who, in the Middle Ages, spread it in gardens and courtyards, especially in northern Europe, where today it is still widely used. It tastes close to celery, but with a much more intense, pungent scent that makes it very pleasant.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Magnoliophyta
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Apiales
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Family: Apiaceae
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Genus: Levisticum
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