Gimme A Dream Vacation

Native Island Medicinal Plants

Sea Lovage
Often when I give nature tours, I’ll pick a leaf off a wild sea lovage which grows on the capes and dunes and give to the visitors to munch on. They find it surprising, shocking and amusing all at the same time. It has multiple uses and has been used by islanders since the times when the Micmac tribe would come to fish and hunt before the Europeans discovered the ‘New World’.

Leaves and stems (L. scoticum) are cut in spring for use as a vegetable and at any time as a flavoring, similar to parsley. Makes a great breath-freshener any time of the year. Roots are lifted in autumn and used fresh or dried for oil extraction. (L. porteri), decoctions and tinctures. Seeds are collected when ripe and ground (L. scoticum) or distilled for oil (L. porteri). Roots are lifted in autumn and dried for decoctions (L. sinense).

Warning

Avoid in individuals with a known allergy or hypersensitivity to lovage.

Lovage is not recommended during pregnancy due to lack of sufficient scientific evidence but Spanish New Mexicans have reportedly used lovage to induce abortion.

Recipe

Lovage vegetarian stock

4 c. washed lovage leaves
6 c. water
freshly ground pepper.

Simmer about 10 minutes. Use in soups, sauces and stews. Can be frozen.