Black lovage is such a common weed these days that it is rarely recognised for what it is - a multifaceted spice.
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Black lovage plants | Black lovage stalk | Black lovage umbel | Black lovage leaves |
| Species: | Smyrnium olusatrum. |
Origin: | Southern Europe. |
Source: | Black lovage, a plant somewhat resembling celery, originates from Macedonia and spread throughout the Mediterranean region. It is thought to have been used by Alexander the Great, remaining popular in Macedonia and Greece until the 18th century. It is now a European and Western Asian herb widely naturalised in hedges, on wasteland and in coastal areas and often cultivated as a pot herb. |
Used Part: | All aerial parts, harvested at flowering time, plus the seeds and root. |
Family: | Apiaceae (parsley family). |
Effect: | The leaves, shoots and flower buds have a gentle celery odour and a strong flavour also reminiscent of celery, but more pungent. The plant's seeds have a pungency similar to that of black pepper. |
Etymology: | For the etymology of English part common name "lovage", see lovage. The genus name smyrnium derives from the Greek zmyrnium, supposedly because the stalk juice tastes like myrrh and Ancient Greek philosopher Theophrastus stated that the plant first sprang from sown myrrh seed. |
Species name olusatrum derives from the Latin word holusatrum (or olusatrum), a composite of olus "garden herb" and ater "black". English folk name "Alexander's herb" refers to Alexander the Great, as (indirectly) does Spanish name apio Macedónico "Macedonian celery". | |
Uses: | Black lovage is similar to angelica in both leaf and flower and as a result amateur collectors have sometimes mistaken it for wild angelica. The entire plant is edible and can be used in salads, stews and soups. Finely chopped raw leaves, young raw shoots and steamed flower buds are appropriate for use in salads. Leaves and stems can also be cooked in soups, stews etc. and leafy seedlings are sometimes used as a parsley substitute. |
The spicy black seeds are used as a black pepper substitute and the root can be boiled and used in soups as a substitute for celeriac. The root tenderises if kept in a cool place throughout the winter. |
