Wild Liquorice - Glycyrrhiza echinata - €8 per plant 

Glycyrrhiza echinata is a hardy nitrogen fixing, herbaceous perennial that can grow happily in the dappled shade of trees. The plant has a long history of medicinal use. The root extract is used to make liquorice and can serve as a sugar substitute. If growing the plant for its roots, it is best practice to cut back before the plants flowers and to keep the roots well watered. The plant is known to interact with beneficial insects such as Lacewings and Parasitoid wasps.  To order this plant please contact us [email protected].  

Context

  • native region: S. Europe
  • native habitat: Muddy places by rivers
  • family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae

Predators

  • no experience of any pests or predators 

Needs, tolerances 

  • Light: Semi Shade- Full Sun
  • soil pH:  acid-neutral -basic alkaline  (can grow in very alkaline soils)
  • USDA Hardiness Zone: 6a - 10b
  • Prefers moist soil 

Known hazards 

  • None known

Overview


  • Herbaceous perennial growing to 1 m.
  • It is in flower from Jun to July.
  •  The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.
  • It can fix Nitrogen.
  • Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils.
  • Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils.
  • It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.
  • It prefers moist soil.

Characteristics

  • form: Herbaceous Perennial  
  • layer : Herb Layer
  • habit: multi stemmed, 
  • height x width (m): 1 x 0.6
  • years to bearing yield: 0 years  
  • productive life span:  

Products 

  • Root:Raw or cooked. Very fibrous, it is often boiled to extract the sugars. The dried root is often used for chewing. A tea made from the roots is an excellent thirst quencher.
  • Medicinal: The root is alterative, expectorant and tonic. It is usually mixed with other herbs, partly at least to improve their tast

Functions, behaviours

  • Barbed seed pods dispersed by animals
  • A good guild member providing its own nitrogen
  • Attracts lacewings that are known to lay eggs on this specie
  • Associated with parasitoid wasps  
If you would like this plant please send an email to [email protected] with your order. 
Balkan Ecology Project