Glycyrrhiza lepidota
characteristics
Pale green leaves with short spikes of green to white flowers on long stalks. Fruit: a brown bur-like pod with hooked prickles. Pods catch on animal hair or clothing thus dispersing seed. Seed is sometimes infested by the bruchid beetle. Rhizomes are deep and spreading. Roots have a distinct licorice flavour. Circumpolar.
52,688 seeds/pound; starts from seed.
| T | SSN | H | W | sun | soil | H2O | fire | N2 | pH | summer | fall | flower (seed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | 1.0 | 1.0 | S/PS | F-M-C | M | •• | - | 5.5-8.0 | green-pale | grey | cream-green |
habitat
Riverbanks, roadsides, shrubby coulees, irrigation canals and waste areas.
uses
Roots eaten by plains gophers, foliage eaten by deer; birds and rodents eat the seeds.
Used as a natural sweetener in a variety of products; unfortunately threatened by over harvesting.
Medicinal use since 465 A.D.; so valued it was buried with King Tutankhamen.
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