Practical
Plants

Glycyrrhiza echinata

Wild Liquorice

a perennial member of the Glycyrrhiza genus in the family Leguminosae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
1 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Root - raw or cooked. Very fibrous, it is often boiled to extract the sugars and is a source of Russian and German liquorice[4]. It is used as a confection, a sweetener and medicinally[5][1][2]. A delicious sweet flavour[K]. The dried root is often used for chewing, it is especially useful for teething children and as a tooth cleaner[K]. The root contains glycyrrhizin, a substance that is 50 times sweeter than sugar. A tea made from the roots is an excellent thirst quencher.

Plant part
Root
Product or use
Sweetener
Product or use
Tea

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The root is alterative, expectorant and tonic. It is usually mixed with other herbs, partly at least to improve their taste[3].

Product or use
Alterative
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Tonic

Ecology and functions

Nitrogen fixer

Environment

Range
S. Europe.
Habitat
Muddy places by rivers[8].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow spring or autumn in a greenhouse[6]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle, and grow them on for their first winter in a greenhouse. Plant out in late spring or early summer when in active growth. Plants are rather slow to grow from seed[7]. Division of the root in spring or autumn. Each division must have at least one growth bud. Autumn divisions can either be replanted immediately or stored in clamps until the spring and then be planted out[6]. It is best to pt up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a cold frame until they are established before planting them out in the spring or summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a deep well cultivated fertile moisture-retentive soil for good root production[6]. Prefers a sandy soil with abundant moisture[7]. A slightly alkaline soil produces the best plants[7]. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[6]. Cultivated for its medicinal root in S. Europe[9]. Unless seed is required, the plant is usually prevented from flowering so that it puts more energy into producing good quality roots[7]. A very deep-rooted plant, it can be difficult to eradicate once it is established[7]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[6].

References

  1. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  2. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  3. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

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  4. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

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  5. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

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  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  7. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  8. Polunin. O. Flowers of Greece and the Balkans. Oxford University Press 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-19-217626-9

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  9. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

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