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American licorice

Glycyrrhiza lepidota

Also called Wild licorice, American Liquorice, American Wild Licorice, Licorice

American licorice
Photo: Unknown author, Public domain
Family
Fabaceae (Pea & bean family)
Grows as
Shrub
Water
Likes moisture
Native range
Canada to NE. Mexico
Climate
temperate

About

Glycyrrhiza lepidota (American licorice) 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 licorice (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 (16–39 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.

Other Glycyrrhiza plants

Southern Liquorice · Glycyrrhiza aspera · Chinese licorice · Liquorice · Chinese Licorice · Pricklefruit Licorice · Glycyrrhiza squamulosa · Chinese Licorice · Glycyrrhiza yunnanensis · Licorice

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Glycyrrhiza lepidota by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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