American Liquorice

Glycyrrhiza lepidota

Physical Characteristics

Glycyrrhiza lepidota is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. It is in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Distribution

N. America - Saskatchewan to British Columbia, south to California and Mexico.

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves Root Shoots Edible Uses: Root - raw or cooked[2, 46, 61, 203]. Long, sweet and fleshy[105], when slow roasted they are said to taste like sweet potatoes[183, 207]. They can be used as a flavouring in other foods and can also be chewed raw as a masticatory[177, 183, 212], making an excellent tooth cleaner and also very good for teething children. The root contains 6% glycyrrhizin, a substance that is 50 times sweeter than sugar[183]. The tender young shoots can be eaten raw in the spring[183, 257].

Medicinal Uses

Birthing aid Foot care Odontalgic Poultice Tonic American liquorice was widely employed medicinally by a number of native North American Indian tribes who used it in the treatment of a range of diseases[257]. All parts of the body are medicinal, but the roots are the most active part. This species has properties similar to other liquorices which are widely used medicinally, though this species is rather neglected in modern literature. An infusion of the root is used to speed the delivery of the placenta after childbirth, it is also used to treat coughs, diarrhoea, chest pains, fevers in children, stomach aches etc[207, 257]. It is also used as a wash or poultice on swellings[257]. The chewed root is retained in the mouth as a treatment for toothache and sore throats[207, 257]. The mashed leaves are used as a poultice on sores[207, 257]. The leaves have been placed in the shoes to absorb moisture[257].

Known Hazards

Very young growth can be poisonous to animals[212].