wetland wildflower

Wild Licorice

Glycyrrhiza lepidota

Also known as American Licorice

Native to much of the USA and southern Canada

Western Ontario to British Columbia, south to northwestern Missouri, northern Arkansas, Texas, Mexico and California

Light Part shade to shade Sun tolerance
Moisture Moist Moisture preference
Zones 2–10 Cold to heat range
Bloom May–Jul Flowering time
Height up to 4 ft to 1.2 m
Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial

Full details, see below

In the garden

A wetland wildflower for part to full shade and evenly moist soil. Its white flowers peak in June. At up to 4 ft, it suits rain gardens, pond edges, and damp low spots. Hardy in USDA zones 2–10.

Growing conditions

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Hardiness zones

Find your zone:

When it blooms

The Wild Licorice's white flowers bloom May to July, peaking in June. This early-summer display draws bees and butterflies.

Wild Licorice blooms whiteFoliage

Pollinators & wildlife

Bees Common Eastern Bumble Bee

also Western Honey Bee, Brown-belted Bumble Bee, Two-spotted Bumble Bee +15 more
American Bumble Bee, Yellow-faced Bumble Bee, Tricolored Bumble Bee, Bombus fervidus, Red-belted Bumble Bee, Hunt's Bumble Bee, Two-form Bumble Bee, Black-and-gold Bumble Bee, Half-black Bumble Bee, Northern Amber Bumble Bee, Nevada Bumble Bee, Yellow-banded Bumble Bee, Great Basin Bumble Bee, Bombus sp., Osmia longula
Butterflies Silver-spotted Skipper also Gray Hairstreak, Reakirt's Blue, Arrowhead Blue
Moths Bedstraw Hawkmoth

Butterflies that use this plant

Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.

Full plant details

Where it grows

Habitat: WetlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: Much of the USA and southern CanadaUnited States (23): AR, AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, KS, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, WI, WY. Canada (3): AB, MB, SK. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution: Western Ontario to British Columbia, south to northwestern Missouri, northern Arkansas, Texas, Mexico and CaliforniaThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Growing conditions

Light: Part shade to shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture: MoistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Hardiness zones: USDA 2–10 · Canadian 2–7The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil: Variable; often in heavy clay or saline soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
Soil texture: Light to medium (sandy to loamy)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
Soil pH: 5.5–8.0The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Soil quality: MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
Water use: HighHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
Salinity tolerance: NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance: MediumHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.

Growth & form

Height: up to 4 ft (to 1.2 m)Typical mature height.
Life cycle: PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Growth rate: ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Shape: ErectIts overall silhouette.
Root depth: 12+ in (30+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.

Flowers, foliage & fruit

Type: WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
Bloom: May–JulWhen it flowers.
Flower color: WhiteThe bloom color, or colors.
Fruit/Seeds: ripens Feb–OctThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
Toxicity: None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.

Propagation & seed

Cold stratification: Not requiredWhether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
Propagation: SeedHow to start new plants.
Seed: ~0.1 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
Seed spread rate: ModerateHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
Seedling vigor: MediumHow strongly young seedlings establish.
Vegetative spread: NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.