Description
Lovage is a hardy perennial with a height
of 90 cm, flowers in summer, dying down in
autumn. It bears clusters of yellow flowers
with a sharp smell. The roots are dug out
in second or third year of planting and cut
into slices in 13 mm thick and carefully dried.
Origin and Distribution
It is a native
of Europe and is now cultivated in USA. In
India it is grown in Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu.
It grows well in well-drained soil. The seeds
are sown in late summer and transplanted in
the following spring.
Uses
The roots,
seeds and leaves are used for flavouring foods.
Flowering tops yield volatile oil. The leaves
and stems are blanched and eaten as salads.
In medicine it is used as a liver tonic and
is used against bladder inflammation.
