Cultivated licorice
Glycyrrhiza glabra · Fabaceae
📷 Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz · CC BY-SA 4.0
The gardener's calendar
Ideal time to plant cultivated licorice: set it out when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged, and water generously as it establishes.
ID card
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Flowering
- June to July, pale violet flowers in clusters
- Adult size
- Up to 120 cm in height
- Growth
- Moderate
- Hardiness
- Down to approximately -15 °C
- Origin
- Mediterranean Basin, Western Asia
- Soil type
- Well-drained, light to moderately fertile soil
- Use
- Medicinal and forage plant
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability medium.
Expert tips
The key tip
Licorice loves direct sunlight and good drainage: in compact or clay soil, dig deep and amend with sand. It spreads a lot through its rhizomes, so either fence off the area or grow it in a pot in the garden.
The common mistake
Thinking it grows anywhere and planting it in heavy, wet soil: the roots rot and rhizomes stay dormant.
The pro's trick
Only harvest rhizomes from year 3 onwards (autumn): young plants waste their energy.
Care
Exposure
Liquorice thrives in full sun, ideally 6 to 8 hours per day. This exposure promotes the production of roots rich in active compounds. A bright, warm location accelerates its growth and vigor.
Watering
Water moderately during the growing season (spring and summer), allowing the soil to dry slightly between waterings. Once established, liquorice tolerates dry periods thanks to its deep root system. Reduce watering in autumn and winter.
Soil and planting
Choose well-drained, light soil, preferably sandy or loamy. The plant dislikes waterlogging which promotes root rot. A compost amendment at planting time is generally sufficient.
Fertilizer
A light application of balanced fertilizer in spring, when growth resumes, is generally enough. Avoid excess nitrogen which would favor foliage at the expense of roots. Liquorice is an undemanding plant.
Pruning and maintenance
No pruning is really necessary. You can cut back dry foliage in autumn after senescence. For root harvest, wait at least 3 years after planting to allow good accumulation of compounds.
Diseases and pests
Liquorice is generally robust. Watch for powdery mildew in cases of excessive moisture and poor air circulation. Root rot can appear on waterlogged soils. No major pests are particularly problematic under normal conditions.
Did you know?
Liquorice is one of the oldest medicinal plants: the Egyptians already used it, and traces have been found in Pharaonic tombs. Its scientific name Glycyrrhiza literally means 'sweet root' in Greek, because its root contains a molecule 50 times sweeter than ordinary sugar, glycyrrhizin, without being sugar in the chemical sense.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring or early autumn, avoiding spells of intense heat. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, April, May, September.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Chinese wisteriaWisteria sinensis
- Common broomCytisus scoparius
- Black locustRobinia pseudoacacia
- Common PeaLathyrus oleraceus
- Honey locustGleditsia triacanthos
- Hairy greenweedGenista pilosa
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.