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Glycyrrhiza glabra - L.

Liquorice

Author	L.	Botanical references	50, 200
Family	Leguminosae	Genus	Glycyrrhiza
Synonyms	Glycyrrhiza glandulifera - Waldst.&Kit.;
Known Hazards	A gross overdose of the root can cause oedema, high blood pressure and congestive heart failure[9, 65].
Range	Europe - Mediterranean.
Habitat	Dry open places[50], especially in sandy places near the sea[132].
Edibility Rating	4 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	4 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 1.2m by 1m.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Cultivars: (as above except)
'Pontefract'
'Poznan'

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Root.

Edible Uses: Sweetener; Tea.

Root - raw or used as a flavouring. The source of liquorice powder that is extracted and used in sweets, baked goods, ice cream, soft drinks etc[7, 34, 100, 183], it is also used medicinally. A sweet and delicious flavour, but the root is very fibrous[K]. The root contains glycyrrhizin, a substance that is 50 times sweeter than sucrose[171, 183, 238]. The dried root is often used for chewing, it is excellent for teething children and also as a tooth cleaner[7, 34]. A tea made from the roots is an excellent thirst quencher[21]. The powdered root is also used as a sweetener in other herb teas[183]. The leaves are used as a tea substitute in Mongolia[183].

Medicinal Uses

Alterative; Antiinflammatory; Antispasmodic; Demulcent; Diuretic; Emollient; Expectorant; Laxative; Pectoral; Tonic.

Liquorice his one of the most commonly used herbs in Western herbal medicine and has a very long history of use, both as a medicine and also as a flavouring to disguise the unpleasant flavour of other medications[4]. It is a very sweet, moist, soothing herb that detoxifies and protects the liver[238] and is also powerfully anti-inflammatory, being used in conditions as varied as arthritis and mouth ulcers[254]. The root is alterative, antispasmodic, demulcent, diuretic, emollient, expectorant, laxative, moderately pectoral and tonic[4, 9, 21, 46, 165, 178]. The root has also been shown to have a hormonal effect similar to the ovarian hormone[7]. Liquorice root is much used in cough medicines and also in the treatment of catarrhal infections of the urinary tract[4]. It is taken internally in the treatment of Addison's disease, asthma, bronchitis, coughs, peptic ulcer, arthritis, allergic complaints and following steroidal therapy[238]. It should be used in moderation and should not be prescribed for pregnant women or people with high blood pressure, kidney disease or taking digoxin-based medication[238]. Prolonged usage raises the blood pressure and causes water retention[7, 238]. See also the notes above on toxicity. Externally, the root is used in the treatment of herpes, eczema and shingles[238]. The root is harvested in the autumn when 3 - 4 years old and is dried for later use[4, 238].

Other Uses

Fibre; Miscellany.

The plant yields a substance that is used for etching steel sections in photomicrographic work[171]. Extracts from the root are used as a foaming agent in beers and fire extinguishers[238]. A fibre obtained from the roots is used for insulation, wallboard, boxboard etc[4, 171]. The fibres can be used after the medicinal and flavouring constituents of the root have been removed[4].

Scented Plants

Root: Crushed Dried

The bruised root has a characteristic sweet pungent smell.

Cultivation details

Requires a deep well cultivated fertile moisture-retentive soil for good root production[200]. Prefers a sandy soil with abundant moisture and does not flourish in clay[4]. Slightly alkaline conditions produce the best plants[238]. The plant thrives in a maritime climate[7]. Plants are hardy to about -15°c[200]. Liquorice is often cultivated for its edible root which is widely used in medicine and as a flavouring. There are some named varieties[183]. The ssp. glandulifera grows in Russia and produces adventitious roots up to 10 cm thick[142]. Yields of 10 - 12 tonnes per hectare were considered good in the early 20th century, this only being attained in the fourth year of growth[4]. Unless seed is required, the plant is usually prevented from flowering so that it puts more energy into producing good quality roots[238]. The bruised root has a characteristic sweet pungent smell[245]. Plants are slow to settle in and do not produce much growth in their first two years after being moved[4]. The young growth is also very susceptible to damage by slugs and so the plant will require some protection for its first few years[K]. A fairly deep-rooting plant, the roots are up to 120cm long[4]. It can be difficult to eradicate once it is established[238]. 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[200].

Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow spring or autumn in a greenhouse[200]. 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[238]. 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[200]. 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.

Cultivars

'Pontefract'

A hardier but tougher cultivar than the more commonly grown 'Poznan', it succeeds outdoors in most parts of the country. The roots are less sweet than 'Poznan'.

'Poznan'

The roots have a higher sugar content than 'Pontefract[183]. This is the most commonly grown cultivar of liquorice[K], it is less hardy than 'Pontefract' and will require winter protection in the colder areas of the country.

'Russian'

The sweet extract obtained from the roots is used as a flavouring in foods, drinks and medicines[183].

Links

Permaculture.info Details of this plant in the Permaculture.info project, a community plant and permaculture database.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.

[9] Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.

[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.

[34] Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G. The Oxford Book of Food Plants. Oxford University Press 1975
Good drawings of some of the more common food plants from around the world. Not much information though.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[50] ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.

[65] Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984 ISBN 0723408394
Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.

[100] Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969 ISBN 0192176218
An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses.

[132] Bianchini. F., Corbetta. F. and Pistoia. M. Fruits of the Earth. 0
Lovely pictures, a very readable book.

[142] Brouk. B. Plants Consumed by Man. Academic Press 1975 ISBN 0-12-136450-x
Readable but not very comprehensive.

[165] Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism. 0
An excellent small herbal.

[171] Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952
Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some a bit of detail about the plants it does cover.

[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 0
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.

Readers Comments

Glycyrrhiza glabra

Uday Harle Thu Jun 3 12:55:46 2004

It vitally beneficial database

Link: http://udpsalumni.com

Glycyrrhiza glabra

Tue Jan 24 2006

Paradox... Physical Characteristics: The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure Cultivation details: The plant thrives in a maritime climate[7].

Glycyrrhiza glabra

Md.Hemayet Hossain Tue Aug 8 2006

This page described this plant more specificly than that of other page . Thank you. Moreover I add the follwing information in briefs that will help new learner to know the therapeutic effect& Safety information about this plant more quickly.Thank's a lot. Therapeutic Actions and Indications: Acts on the endocrine system and the liver as an antihepatotoxic effective in treating hepatitis and cirrhosis. Licorice is also an expectorant and antiinflammatory, useful in cough and bronchitis. Safety Information: Not for prolonged use except under the supervision of a qualified health practitioner. Prolonged use may cause hypertension, edema, headache, vertigo and potassium depletion. Not for use by persons with hypertension, hypo-kalemia, edema, cirrhosis of the liver and cholestatic liver disorders, and diabetes. Not to be used during pregnancy.

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