Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)
Care, watering, light and tips for Alexanders on Floravia.
Quick facts
- Family: Apiaceae
- Difficulty: Easy to care for
- Watering: every 7 days
- Light: Partial shade
- Temperature: 10–30 °C
About Alexanders
Smyrnium olusatrum, commonly known as Alexanders or Black Lovage, is a robust perennial herb from the Apiaceae family, prized for its edible leaves, stems, and roots that offer a distinctive flavor between celery and parsley. It can reach heights of up to 1.5 meters with hollow stems and large, glossy, dark green leaves, producing umbels of greenish-yellow flowers in spring. It is ideal for culinary gardens or herb patches where a functional and ornamental plant with a rich culinary history is desired.
Native range
Western and Southern Europe, including the British Isles
Care tips
Alexanders prefer a location with partial shade to full sun in temperate climates, and rich, moist, well-drained soil. It requires regular watering to keep the substrate consistently damp, especially during dry periods, but avoid waterlogging. It propagates easily from seed or division and is quite pest-resistant. A common mistake to avoid is letting the soil dry out completely, which can stress the plant and reduce its vigor.
How to save a dying Alexanders
- Warning signs
- Yellowing or wilting leaves, soft or blackened stems, stunted growth.
- First aid
- Check drainage and soil moisture. If waterlogged, repot in dry, light substrate. If dry, water moderately.
- What kills it
- Overwatering and waterlogging are its biggest enemies, quickly causing root rot.
- Can it be saved?
- Yes, if rot is not too advanced and you act quickly to correct watering and drainage.