Licorice, Official (Glycyrrhiza glabra) seeds, Organic

(2 customer reviews)

$4.95$49.55

Family: Legume (Fabaceae)

Hardy to zones 7 to 11

Herbaceous perennial native to the Mediterranean and to Russia.  True, sweet variety.  Traditional usage (TWM): demulcent, expectorant, flavoring agent, chronic fatigue, adrenal exhaustion, gastric ulcer.   Plant prefers full sun and dry, alkaline soils.  Inoculate soil with rhizobium inoculant for best results.  Once established, the plants shoot up like a young willow thicket, setting erect lilac flowers that give way to the smooth pods.  The part used is the stoloniferous root, which can be harvested after 2 or 3 years of growth.  Plant prefers full sun and dry, alkaline soils.  Scarify the seed and sow in warm, fast-draining soil.  Work up in pots. Thin or transplant seedlings to 2 to 3 feet apart. Can take years to establish a good plot. This is a great crop for people in Arizona, or at elevation in California, or any other place where the weather is clear, high and hot.

Packet contains 20 seeds
1 g contains ~117 seeds
5 g contains ~585 seeds
10 g contains ~1,170 seeds
Certified organically grown

 

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5 out of 5 stars

2 reviews

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What others are saying

  1. jenniferjoray

    Fast germination

    jenniferjoray (verified owner)

    I’m so excited! I followed Richo’s recommendations from his YouTube video on germination tips, and I scarified then soaked my licorice seeds overnight prior to planting. I could see a little root pointing out of one end of several seeds the next day, and several had plumped up nicely. Rather than re-scarify the seeds which didn’t plump, I just planted them all in a 4” pot and put them in our 72 degree F germination chamber. Four seeds had sprouted in only a day or two; hooray! I’m sure more are on their way. It’s so exciting to see new life and to know I’ve had a hand in getting it started. Unfortunately here in Maine zone 5, I’ll have to bring the potted licorice inside for the winter and hope it survives. I’ll leave it in the greenhouse for the heat of the season. It’ll be fun to harvest if it lives a few years in a 7-gallon pot.

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  2. Question

    Brian (verified owner)

    What is the cold hardiness for this plant? Zone 7B here on SE Pennsylvania.

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    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      hi brian, if you double-click on the photo, the monograph comes up, and that gives you the hardiness. in this case 7 to 10, you’re in. r

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  3. Question

    Sarah Dunford

    What soil mixture is in the above pictures? When starting seeds do they need to be lightly watered every day or every couple of days? Thank you Richo.

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    • Richo Cech

      Admin Richo Cech

      Hi Sarah,
      Thanks for the good questions. I checked the photo and the seeds are germinating in pure coarse sand, which is something I often do with seed of xeric plants. Here’s the thing. If you have a very fast-draining medium, then water daily. If your mix has compost and peat, then water only when surface is dry. I recommend making the “Fast-draining potting soil” for growing on the licorice (after transplanting out of the sand). You can find the techniques and recipes in my book “The Medicinal Herb Grower.” Richo

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    • Dana

      Hi, I have started many of your seeds with good success, but I was wondering about Glycyrrhiza,glabra in central Missouri. Our weather is hot and humid in the summers and can be very cold in the winter with some dampness. I know it says zone 7 and we are zone 6, but I have had good luck extending zones for some plants..covering etc..
      Even have had Rosemary and Pineapple sage survive with cover. Thank you!

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    • One person found this helpful
      Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Hi! If you amend your soil with plenty of sand, it will help the licorice overwinter in a colder zone. Don’t mulch, licorice does not like mulch, just work in plenty of sand and put sand around the crown of the plant as it grows.
      Richo

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    • Melanie

      I am trying to initiate to establish a medicinal herb garden in NE Ohio, after having lived in northern FL for the past 12 years. Since I am just learning the area, I am curious whether I can grow licorice here. We are in USDA zone 6a, and have quite a bit of clay in the soil. I am planning to scarify the seeds, then germinate in soil blocks, then transfer seedlings to either a plot that is prepped with a mix of sand/soil or to a pot to allow it to develop for a while. I am thinking that if I pot it, I can overwinter it in the garage next winter-where it will be cold, but protected from extreme cold that may damage it. Alternatively, might it be better to just leave it in the ground? I am willing to be very patient, as I see that my odds of propagating glycyrrhiza may be long.

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    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      It is better to leave it in the ground. What you see as the aerial plant is small compared to what is going on underground–the plant is rhizomatous and needs to dig in. Prepare a sand bed and plant it there.

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    • Christie

      How deep should my sand bed be?

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    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Actually the part used in licorice runs parallel to the ground surface, a rhizome not a taproot, so 6 inches deep would be enough. r

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    • DaLoveLiveLight

      Do you know of any medicinal uses for the leaves and flowers ?

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    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      hi there, no, i don’t use the aerial parts at all, nor have i heard of anyone else doing so, just the root. r

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    • Noel

      How important is this Medicinal plants can one plant in large scale and get market, am from kenya.

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    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      hello noel, nafurahi kupata sms yako. probably if looking for a useful herb to grow in kenya that will help a lot of people and ensure cash returns, grow artemisia annua–it is both antimalarial and anticovid. richo

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    • Mari

      Should I try to grow this in Hilo, Hawaii?

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    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      hello mari, thanks for writing. i see no reason not to, as the herb is typically grown in warmer climes. my approach is to try growing everything and stick with what does well and let the rest slough off. works for me. richo

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    • Juniper Lighthouse (verified owner)

      Hi Richo! I’m growing in central Texas. I have a mixture of potting soil and coco coir for seed starting. The seeds plumped up well and started to sprout but when I put them in the soil mixture they didn’t sprout. There in a six cell tray being bottom watered. Is that too much water?

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    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Hi Juniper, Thanks for writing! Generally with licorice I scarify then soak overnight (and that’s a lot of water!). But after that I put them in a fast-draining mix (no coir) and water only once daily. They can be slow to show, and sporadic. I personally would take them off the bottom watering system. Licorice was one of my demos on the seed planting video at this link (you’ll have to paste it into a browser): https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=strictly+medicinal+utube+seed+starting&mid=0061D41FD2832ED86CA00061D41FD2832ED86CA0&FORM=VIRE
      All the best,
      Richo

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