How to Grow Licorice Shrubs

About Growing Licorice Plants in Your Herb Garden

Licorice, you either love it, or you hate it. If you love it, wouldn’t you like to grow your own? Sure you would! So, read on to find out how to grow Licorice shrub plants. Licorice herbs have been a favorite since ancient times. Ancient Egyptian and Chinese cultures used it for flavoring food, and many medicinal applications. Licorice was even found in King Tut’s tomb.

The Licorice shrub is native to Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean. You may be surprised to discover, that Licorice plants are a member of the pea family. Worldwide, Licorice is one of the most popular herbs. Its popularity doesn’t extend as far in the American herb garden, a few people grow it in the U.S.

Licorice shrubs grow up to five feet tall. It is prized for its fibrous roots, which contain the flavor. Licorice roots are 50 times sweeter than sugar. Give this shrub plenty of room, as the roots can grow six feet out from the base of the shrub. When you first plant this shrub, you need a little patience. It takes about three years for the plant to produce roots big enough for you to harvest some of the roots while leaving enough roots to allow the plant to continue to grow and produce even more roots. While you are waiting for the shrub to get big enough to harvest, take time to enjoy the plant’s flowers. Colors include violet, bluish violet, and lavender.

To some people licorice is considered a weed….. obviously they do not like the flavor!

Medicinal and Culinary Uses

Medicinal Uses:

Since ancient times, licorice herb has been used medicinally around the world, for a wide range of ailments. They include:

It is a natural laxative, that relieves menstrual cramps and discomfort of menopause, relieves pain and discomfort from ulcers, is good for the adrenal gland, and cancer treatments for breast and prostate. It even lowers the effect of aging of the brain.

Culinary Uses:

We all know licorice flavored candy. It is also used in teas, beer making, and flavoring of many foods, and it even is used as a flavoring in tobacco products. It is also used in cosmetics.

Did You Know? Licorice has a taste similar to Anise. But, they are not related.

Licorice Shrub Plant Growing Specifications

Flowers Bloom: Late summer to early Fall.

Flower Colors: blue-violet, pale, pale blue, purple, and white-pink.

Days to Harvest: End of second season.

Plant Height: One to two feet tall. Ornamental varieties grow taller.

Light Needs: Full sunlight.

Ideal Soil pH: 6.0 – 8.0.

Plant Hardiness Zones: 5 – 9

Ideal Growing Temperatures: 70 to 85° F.

Plant Type: Tender perennial herbaceous shrub. The plant lives 3 to 5 years.

Deer Resistant? Yes. Deer and other foraging animals do not like the scent, taste, or the fuzzy texture of the leaves.

Native To: North America.

Botanical Name: Glycyrrhiza glabra

Other Names: Sweet Wood, Sweet Root

Licorice Shrub Propagation

Licorice shrubs can be started from seeds. It is best to start seeds indoors. They have a hard shell. Soak the seeds for 12-24 hours before planting. Sow seeds just below the surface. Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last spring frost.

Garden Tip: Use sandpaper to rough up the hard seed coat.

The plant can be propagated from cuttings. Take a four to six-inch cutting of new growth and root the cutting in water.

New plants can also be propagated from the division of their roots. This is the more popular plant propagation method for licorice plants. There must be at least one growth bud on the roots.

Seed Planting Depth: 1/4 inch.

Final Plant Spacing: Four to six feet apart.

Days to Germination: 25 – 30 days.

How to Grow Licorice Shrubs

Planting and Soil Needs

Licorice shrubs are easy to grow. They are not a demanding plant. Licorice herbs thrive in full sun to light, partial sunlight. They prefer average to rich soils that drain well. The plants grow best in slightly alkaline soil.

Plant them in an area of your herb garden where they will grow undisturbed and not be in the way when it is time to plant your annual herbs next spring.

Mix compost into the planting site. Additionally, include a balanced, general-purpose fertilizer at planting time. They are sensitive to high nitrogen fertilizers.

Light Requirement

Select a location in your garden where your Licorice shrubs will receive at least seven to eight hours of bright, direct sun. For optimal growth, grow them in a location where they will receive full sunlight from sunrise to sunset.

The plants are tolerant of light, partial shade. In hotter regions, select a growing location that has partial sunlight or light shade during the midafternoon to protect it from damage by the hot rays of the sun.

Fertilizer Needs

Add a balanced general-purpose fertilizer every four to six weeks during the growing season. For a quick boost, you can also apply a liquid fertilizer to the leaves and the roots. Apply it to the leaves early enough in the day so the leaves will dry off before sunset.

Cultivate the soil out several feet from the planting site.

Water Needs

Water as needed, to keep the soil evenly moist, yet not wet throughout the growing season.

Other Steps

Weeds rob valuable water and soil nutrients. Therefore, keep young Licorice shrubs well-weeded. Then, after they have grown several inches, apply a layer of mulch. This helps to retain soil moisture and gives the plant a neat and tidy appearance.

Did You Know? Licorice shrubs are “nitrogen-fixing”. This means they put nitrogen into the soil from their root nodules.

The shrubs will produce flowers. Remove them as the buds appear. This allows the plant to concentrate on root growth.

The plants overwinter without problems in warmer regions of the country. However, in colder areas, apply a layer of mulch around the plants to protect the roots from freezing.

Insect, Pets, and Plant Disease Problems

A variety of insects can pose a problem. They include aphids, leaf miners, slugs, spider mites, and thrips. Use insecticides and slug bait, as needed.

As has been noted above, Licorice shrubs are not on the diet of deer and other foraging animals.

Powdery mildew can occur on the leaves. Apply a fungicide just before hot, humid weather arrives in your area.

Additionally, root rot can occur in wet, soggy soil.

Also, see: Plant Problems – causes and cures.

How to Grow Licorice Shrubs in Planters

Try growing Licorice plants in planters in containers on your patio or deck.

In addition to the “How to Grow Licorice” steps above, here are a few additional steps for growing them in containers:

These herbs do not tolerate overcrowding. It is important to grow them in a big container to allow their roots to spread.
First, select a sunny location on your patio or deck.
Deck and patios often get hotter than in your herb garden. Hence, in hotter weather, you can move the planter into shade in the afternoon.
It is important to have a drain hole in the container to allow excess water to drain from the pot.
The plant grows best in evenly moist soil. Keep an eye on the moisture level. Check the plants every few days, especially in extended periods of hot, dry weather.
When watering the plants, thoroughly wet the soil. Excess water will drain through the hole in the bottom of the flowerpot.
Nutrients in a container are limited. So, use fertilizer spikes to feed the plants. Or, apply a light solution of liquid fertilizer once a month.
If you want to grow them indoors during winter, then bring them in before the first frost.

Harvesting Licorice Herb Roots

Allow new shrubs to grow for three years before harvesting roots. It is important that the root system is large enough that you can take some roots, yet not so many that you kill the shrub. When harvesting, take horizontal roots. Do not take the main taproot.

Harvest roots in the fall. The roots can be stored for several months.