Herbal Medicine: Growing Your Own Licorice Plants
Glycyrrhiza glabra also known as Licorice
Happy harvesting digging up licorice root.
Last spring (2017), I started a ton of medicinal seeds! Astragalus, Ashwagandha, Licorice and I purchased quite a few seedlings from a local nursery.
Many of the plants are only annuals in this climate so I harvested them last fall, but the Licorice and Astragalus keep going for many years and actually don't reach their peak until year 3 or 4.
The licorice wasn't so happy in the part of the garden that we planted it, so this morning we decided to dig it up, see how the root is doing, maybe take some for medicine and replant the rest.
Here's how it went and here's also a little bit about this amazing plant that I bet you have had as an additive in something. It also is a fantastic addition to herbal infusions, adding the sweet and soothing element it is so well known for.
The hardy yet dainty leaves of licorice.
The Plant
Licorice is first and foremost a plant, not a candy.
It's a legume, meaning it fixes nitrogen. Its native habitat is the Mediterranean and SE Asia but grows readily in many bioregions. This is a wonderful plant for many landscapes and a powerful multi use herb. Once established, it spreads by underground rhizomes and can provide medicine for years to come.
The root is the edible portions and is incredibly sweet, 30 times sweeter than sugar!
Much of the licorice candy is actually flavored with anise and may not even contain licorice.The roots can be harvested from plants while others in the stand are left to develop. This way one plant can grow to provide enough medicine for an entire family.
This is a root runner that is starting from the mother and creating a new plant.
As Medicine
The root is widely used in Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Herbalism.
It has long history of use both as a flavoring agent as well as an herbal medicine. The delightful flavor lends itself to flavoring drink and smoking blends. The really amazing part about this plant is the wide range of medicinal actions it boasts.
Licorice is used in many herbal preparations and it has the dual benefit of sweetening them while also making the formulas more effective through synergistic interactions.
The actions of licorice are numerous and include anti-inflammatory, demulcent (soothing), emollient (moistening), expectorant (helping expel mucous) among others. These make it an ideal addition to formula to treat colds and coughs.
Digging dip to remove as much of the roots as possible.
Perhaps one of the most overlooked aspects of licorice is it's antiviral properties. We relied on it heavily during a bout with a flu virus this past winter and were glad to have had this ally on hand. For acute viral infections it greatly supports the body's ability to combat a variety of viruses. It also helps regulate blood sugar.
The sweet taste makes it a great bonus for getting bitter medicines to be more palatable for the sweet conditions palate and is generally safe to use with a few caveats.
Pregnant woman and those with high blood pressure are advised against using this herb. Neither is prolonged use of the herb recommended as it can raise blood pressure and cause the body to retain water. It is counter indicated for those who are on blood pressure meditations.
The foliage of the first runner of the mother plant.
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Hmmmm, I tend to get HB when in stress..am not sure whether this can do good .but the healtb benefits sounds good.
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It's best to consult an herbalist who knows you before diving in. Like all Herbs they are not panaceas but interact with each body differently.
Thanks for the tip.. I sure will. Have a nice Monday evening..
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Thanks for sharing as always. A little effort into studying and cultivating my own herbal roots will certainly save a lot
A pleasure to share ! DIY herbalism also brings you more in touch with your own healing experience. Such a rewarding experience.
oh, this is so cool! I love liquorice root but I've never lived anywhere we could grow it. I hope it likes growing in it's new home. You guys grow all of the best things in life.
Thanks for your enthusiasm @walkerland. The diversity of
What we can grow was a major driver in choosing this bio region to live in. As for growing all the best things... it's always a work in progress.
Hi @mountainjewel in India we call them Mullethi and it is indeed an important herb for Ayurveda. However, we need to take a balanced intake. If taken it for continous period, it may cause high blood pressure, headache , heart problem.
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Thanks for your input @steemflow. It's great to hear of your experience with it. You're so right, it cannot be taken long term. There can be too much of a good thing.
Too much of anything is bad.....😉
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Very interesting. Licorice discussion here is just Red Vine versus Twizzlers. Looking online I don't even know if they have an licorice in them.
HAHA, I doubt there's any licorice in them at all. Perhaps there used to be... but as with so much, the quality and purity of things decreases with mass production.
That's really interesting info about licorice! I did not know it was so naturally sweet. Unfortunately, it's one of the taste/smells I dislike a lot. But my father adore licorice.
Dislikes may be a sign that something is not aligned with your body. Or maybe you really could benefit. As always though your body knows what's best and I'm sure you're not about to override this major dislike. That is cool your dad loved it so much.
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