Licorice, Chinese (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) seeds
$4.95 – $34.10
Family: Legume (Fabaceae)
Hardy to Zones 5 to 11
(Gan-cao, Chinese Licorice) Herbaceous perennial native to Siberia and China. Flowers blue to 3 feet. The plant prefers alkaline soil and thrives on neglect. This plant produces the fine-flavored licorice root. Traditional usage (TCM): demulcent, flavoring agent, harmonizer of formulae. Plant prefers full sun and dryish soils. Scarify seed on medium grit sandpaper, soak overnight and sow in warm conditions. Space plants 2 to 3 feet apart.
Packet contains 30 seeds
1 g contains ~130 seeds
5 g contains ~650 seeds
10 g contains ~1,300 seeds
Open Pollinated, Untreated, NO GMO’s
Question
M. –
Hello,
I’ve been trying to grow this plant for a few years but have had much trouble. I’ve tried scarifying the seeds, in which case they often dry out and die in between waterings, and also by hot water treatment, which seems to help them germinate better, but then they end up wilting or damping off. The best that I got was one that came up by the riverside from a summer sowing and was washed away, and another summer germination that came up in a pot and then died from drought. How do you tend to germinate and grow these apparently finicky plants?
Thank you very much,
M.
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Richo Cech –
Hello M, Thanks for writing and sorry for all your trials. Probably the root of yiour difficulty is in the potting mix–it must be very fast-draining for licorice. Otherwise, as you mentioned, you’re going to have trouble with damping off. The licorice monographs (page 33 and 34 of the upcoming book “Growing Plant Medicine Vol 2” which is going to start shipping in late March of this year, is really your primary reference. Yes, scarify and soak the seeds and plant to a fast-draining mix with a top-dress of fine pumice. Here’s a link to that technique on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdd6SdW5sHs&t=11s
Actually you can do this.
richo
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M. –
Thank you! I will follow the suggestions.
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M. –
Thank you! Through the new setup and your advice the licorice is now showing the very beginning of their second true leaf. Slow but still alive!
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Michael Monaghan –
Hi Richo
Thank you.. I think your the best at what you do. No one has as much plants or knowledge as I’ve seen here. How the heck do you do it? Time and energy…wow. I look and feel younger, because years ago i bought your books and started eating things i never thought i would eat!! Its incredible how my thinking and actions have changed. for the better. Need more people on this planet like Richo Cech
Michael
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Michael Monaghan –
Hi Richo
Been following you for a decade or more, Moved to Spokane area, How would the best way to grow this go? I’m willing to do the best for this strain of Licorice root.
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Richo Cech –
Hi Michael, The Chinese licorice is a good choice for your new zone. They take standard garden soil and regular full sun positioning. If you want to save a year, get our potted plants. Otherwise just start from seed now or in the spring. richo
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scott (verified owner) –
How long from planting until harvest?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Scott,
I’d let them go a couple of years anyway. You can harvest the running rhizomes (licorice sticks) without killing the plant. Richo
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