Botanical Name: Glycyrrhiza glabra | Family: Leguminosae
Common name(s): Licorice
GROWING
- Tender perennial | Zones 7-10 | 4-5 feet tall | Lavender and white flowers in mid to late summer
- Well-drained soil | Full sun to partial shade | Hot climate
HARVESTING
Harvest the rhizomes the third year with a needle-nose spade in the spring or fall
PREPARATION / DOSAGE
Decoction: Boil 1/2-1 teaspoonful of the root in 1 cup water for 10-15 minutes. Drink 3x/day.
Tincture: Take 1-3ml of the tincture 3x/day.
Syrup: Can be added to cough syrup
Cautions: Should not be taken by people with water retention
MEDICAL
Constituents: Glycyrrhizic acid, phytoestrogens, coumarins,flavonoids, essential oil, polysaccharides
Actions: Alterative, demulcent,expectorant,laxative
Uses: Adrenal issues, stomach and digestive issues, colds and flu, blood/liver detoxification, mild laxative for children
Combinations: Combine with echinacea, dandelion, red colver, burdock, sassafras, or sarsaparilla for blood detoxification
CHINESE MEDICINE*
- Neutral; pleasant taste
SOURCES
- Homegrown Herbs, by Tammi Hartung
- Medicinal Herbs, by Rosemary Gladstar
- *The Way of Herbs, by Michael Tierra
- Photo credit: CJ via Flickr cc
Have never really been a fan of the flavor of licorice, but it is a versatile plant. When I had digestive issues, it was one of the recommended herbs and I got it in pill form. Rosemary’s book has a recipe for making herb pills and that’s the way I would go in the future, or make my own tincture.
PS it was really hard to find a free licorice photo!
