Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
Licorice is a hardy perennial herb grown for its sweet, aromatic roots that have been used in traditional medicine, confections, and herbal preparations for thousands of years. This attractive legume reaches 3-5 feet tall with pinnate leaves and spikes of purple-blue pea-like flowers in summer, adding ornamental value while fixing nitrogen in the soil to benefit surrounding plants.
The thick, woody taproots develop their characteristic sweet flavor over 3-4 years of growth and are harvested in fall, then dried and processed for teas, extracts, candies, and traditional medicinal applications. The roots contain glycyrrhizin, a compound 50 times sweeter than sugar, giving licorice its distinctive flavor used in herbal remedies for respiratory health, digestive support, and soothing sore throats.
Licorice thrives in deep, fertile, well-drained soil with full sun and consistent moisture, sending down deep roots that make established plants quite drought-tolerant. The spreading rhizomes can become vigorous, so plants benefit from dedicated beds or containment in smaller gardens. Hardy across USDA Zones 7-10, licorice is ideal for herb gardens, medicinal plantings, and permaculture designs seeking nitrogen-fixing plants with valuable root harvests and traditional herbal significance.
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
Licorice is a hardy perennial herb grown for its sweet, aromatic roots that have been used in traditional medicine, confections, and herbal preparations for thousands of years. This attractive legume reaches 3-5 feet tall with pinnate leaves and spikes of purple-blue pea-like flowers in summer, adding ornamental value while fixing nitrogen in the soil to benefit surrounding plants.
The thick, woody taproots develop their characteristic sweet flavor over 3-4 years of growth and are harvested in fall, then dried and processed for teas, extracts, candies, and traditional medicinal applications. The roots contain glycyrrhizin, a compound 50 times sweeter than sugar, giving licorice its distinctive flavor used in herbal remedies for respiratory health, digestive support, and soothing sore throats.
Licorice thrives in deep, fertile, well-drained soil with full sun and consistent moisture, sending down deep roots that make established plants quite drought-tolerant. The spreading rhizomes can become vigorous, so plants benefit from dedicated beds or containment in smaller gardens. Hardy across USDA Zones 7-10, licorice is ideal for herb gardens, medicinal plantings, and permaculture designs seeking nitrogen-fixing plants with valuable root harvests and traditional herbal significance.
