# Wild Licorice (*Glycyrrhiza lepidota*) Wild Licorice is a special plant that grows in the wild. It has sweet roots that can be used to make candy and tea. This plant loves sunny places and can be found in fields and along riverbanks. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Wild Licorice](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Glycyrrhiza_lepidota.jpg&width=800) Photo: Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Glycyrrhiza_lepidota.jpg) ## Appearance The Wild Licorice has erect stems covered in fine hairs, bearing many pairs of oval leaflets. Its small, pale yellow-green to whitish pea-like flowers grow in dense, spiky clusters, later forming unique bur-like seed pods that are covered in hooked prickles. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Glycyrrhiza ## Interesting facts - Did you know its roots taste super sweet, even sweeter than sugar! - Native Americans chewed the roots like candy and used them for sore throats. - This plant is related to garden peas, but don't eat its leaves or stems! - Wild Licorice loves growing where rivers have flooded or disturbed the ground. ## Special abilities - **Nutrient Wizard:** Wild Licorice can pull nitrogen from the air and enrich the soil, helping itself and other plants grow strong. - **Underground Explorer:** Wild Licorice has deep-spreading roots that help it survive droughts and find water far below the surface. - **Hitchhiker Helper:** Wild Licorice has sticky, spiky seed pods that attach to animals, helping its seeds travel far and wide. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-120 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.8-1.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer and other browsers munch its foliage. - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Bees are attracted to its nectar-rich flowers. - **Symbiotic with:** Rhizobium bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — Forms root nodules to fix nitrogen for the plant. ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not eat any plants without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Wild Licorice? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Wild Licorice? 30-120 cm ### How wide does Wild Licorice spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Wild Licorice? 0.8-1.5 cm ### When does Wild Licorice bloom? Summer ### Is Wild Licorice edible? Yes ### Is Wild Licorice toxic? None ### What is Wild Licorice's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Denbigh Experimental Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/denbigh-experimental-forest) — North Dakota, US · Botanical Garden - [Fort Buford](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-buford) — North Dakota, US · Historic Site - [Kabetogama Ranger Station District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kabetogama-ranger-station-district) — Minnesota, US · Historic District - [Reptile Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/reptile-gardens) — South Dakota, US · Zoo - [Jewel Cave National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jewel-cave-national-monument) — South Dakota, US · National Park [View all places to see Wild Licorice](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/wild-licorice) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Wild Licorice: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wild-licorice)