Worth knowing:
The Liquorice is most certainly one of the oldest medicinal herbal plants. The perennial, herbaceous Glycyrrhiza glabra can grow up to one meter tall, and was due its soothing effects on coughing, sore throats and stomach problems a popular crop and medicinal plant of cottage gardens in old times. In late summer it shows neat, light-purple to white coloured butterfly-like flowers on casual bunches.
Natural Location:
Originally the Liquorice was native in the Mediterranean region and western Asia. Through early imports from the Middle East, it is especially widely used in the coastal regions of Europe.
Cultivation:
Seed propagation indoors is possible throughout the year. To increase the germinability, you should initially place the seeds for about 12 hours in a bowl with lukewarm water for priming. Spread the seeds onto moist potting compost or herb-substrate, put a layer of about 1 cm compost earth on top, and cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the earth from drying out. Don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on your potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm with a temperature between 20° C and 25° Celsius and keep the earth – preferably with a water sprayer – moist, but not wet. Depending on the propagation temperature, the first seedlings will come up after two to four weeks.
Place:
The sturdy plant prefers a full sunny and somewhat wind-protected place.
Care:
You should choose a tall pot or tub for cultivation right away since the Liquorice develops initially a tap root and later a lignified rhizome with secondary roots. Ideally, you use a special substrate for herbs or permeable garden soil, and keep the earth moist without waterlogging.
During the winter:
In a pot or tub the Liquorice is best be kept in a bright and cool place for hibernation. Outdoor plants need a frost-protection with some foliage or brushwood. In spring, you may prune the plant back to 10 cm height.
Picture credits:
- © © Pharaoh han - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Alcibiades - Public domain - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/publicdomain/
- © Raffi Kojian - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
- © Raffi Kojian - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
- © Léna - CC-BY-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
- © Tubifex - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
- © Pharaoh han - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
