Description:
American Licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota) Over Grown in the Wild
American Licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota) is a species of Glycyrrhiza (a genus in the pea/bean family, Fabaceae) native to most of North America, from central Canada south through the United States to California, Texas and Virginia, but absent from the southeastern states. It is also sometimes known in the United States as “wild licorice”, to distinguish it from the related European Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) which is occasionally cultivated.
The plant grows in moist soils; although it will grow in heavy soil it prefers sandy soil. It grows to 40–100 cm (16–40 in) tall, and has long tough brown roots which are said to be sweet and were used as food and for medicinal purposes by Native Americans. American Licorice is not sweet from sugar but from glycyrrhizin, the acid ammonium salt of the tri-basic acid, glycyrrhizic acid. Glycyrrhizin may increase blood pressure (aka hypertension) by interfering with cortisol conversion.
American Licorice is grazed by cattle, but not preferred and will increase under grazing as competing plants are grazed off. It has light green to white flowers in the spring which ripen in the fall to clusters of burs which contain pods of small bean like seeds.
Erect perennial up to 3 ft. The stem is covered with minute, sticky hairs. Cream flowers, which resemble those of alfalfa, are crowded on a terminal spike. Leaves are pinnately compound. The brown fruit is covered with hooked spines and resembes a cocklebur.
The root has a distinct licorice flavor, but commercial licorice is obtained from another plant of this genus that is not a North American native.
Habit:
Close up photo of American Licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota)
Herb.
Distribution:
- American Licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota) is a common native species in America.
- Wild licorice is native to temperate regions of western North America.
- It occurs from Ontario west to British Columbia, south to California, and east to Arkansas. Disjunct populations of wild licorice occur in Maine, Rhode Island, New York, and Massachusetts.
Distribution Map:
American Licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota) Distribution Highlighted in Green.
Habitat:
American Licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota) occurs in a variety of habitats but is most often found in prairie and other grassland communities or riparian areas.
