American Licorice

American licorice
wild licorice

More info for the term: cover

American licorice cover values are as follows [46]:

MT UT WY

pronghorn poor poor
elk poor poor
mule deer poor poor
white-tailed deer poor
small mammals fair good
small nongame birds fair good
upland game birds poor fair
waterfowl good poor fair

In South Dakota, American licorice is used for shade by sharp-tailed grouse
during the brood season [14].

More info for the terms: adventitious, forb, indehiscent

American licorice is a native, perennial, leguminous forb that grows from 1
to 4 feet (0.3-1.2 m) tall [18,28,37,44]. It may form colonies by
adventitious shoots from roots and deep-seated rhizomes
[13,19,24,43,44]. Rhizomes are many-branched and may grow up to several
feet long [42]. Leaves are 0.8 to 2.8 inches (2-7 cm) long and 0.16 to
0.8 inch (4-20 mm) wide [13,37]. Legumes are indehiscent, sessile, and
bur-like with hooked prickles, and are O.4 to 0.6 inch (12-15 mm) long
[16,28,37,43]. Seeds are 0.08 to 0.12 inch (2-3 mm) long [44].

In addition to rhizomes, American licorice has an extensive system of deep,
fleshy roots [42].

American licorice is native to temperate regions of western North America.
It occurs from Ontario west to British Columbia, south to California,
and east to Arkansas [13,18,24,27]. Disjunct populations of American
licorice occur in Maine, Rhode Island, New York, and Massachusetts [34].



Distribution of American licorice. Map courtesy of USDA, NRCS. 2018. The PLANTS Database.
National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC [2018, April 4] [38].

More info for the terms: fire regime, seed

American licorice probably survives fire by sprouting from rhizomes. It may
also colonize from off-site seed.

FIRE REGIMES :
Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
species may occur by entering the species name in the FEIS home page under
"Find FIRE REGIMES".

More info on this topic.

More info for the terms: geophyte, hemicryptophyte

Hemicryptophyte
Geophyte

More info for the term: facultative wetland species

American licorice occurs in fields, meadows, borrow ditches, and along
roadsides [16,17,19,34,44]. It occurs in open, unshaded areas on
disturbed soils [17,32,44]. It is a facultative wetland species, most
commonly found in moist areas such as terraces, seeps, streambanks, wet
meadows, floodplains, and along lakeshores [17,37,43,46,,47].

American licorice grows best on moist to semiwet soils with good drainage
[13,15,17]. It grows best on loam, sandy loam, and clayey loam soils,
but occurs on gravelly substrates as well [35,46].

Elevations for American licorice for several states are as follows:

feet meters

Arizona 2,000-7,000 600-2,100 [20]
California less than 7,500 less than 2,250 [28]
Colorado 4,000-8,500 1,200-2,550 [16,46]
Montana 6,600-7,500 1,980-2,250 [46]
North Dakota 1,930-2,640 585-800 [41]
Utah 3,300-8,100 990-2,430 [46]
Wyoming 3,700-7,600 1,110-2,280 [46]

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This species is known to occur in association with the following cover types (as classified by the Society of American Foresters):

42 Bur oak
63 Cottonwood
217 Aspen
220 Rocky Mountain juniper
235 Cottonwood - willow
236 Bur oak
237 Interior ponderosa pine
239 Pinyon - juniper

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This species is known to occur in the following ecosystem types (as named by the U.S. Forest Service in their Forest and Range Ecosystem [FRES] Type classification):

More info for the term: shrub

FRES17 Elm - ash - cottonwood
FRES21 Ponderosa pine
FRES28 Western hardwoods
FRES29 Sagebrush
FRES30 Desert shrub
FRES35 Pinyon - juniper
FRES36 Mountain grasslands
FRES38 Plains grasslands
FRES39 Prairie

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This species is known to occur in association with the following plant community types (as classified by Küchler 1964):

More info for the terms: forest, woodland

K011 Western ponderosa forest
K016 Eastern ponderosa forest
K017 Black Hills pine forest
K018 Pine - Douglas-fir forest
K019 Arizona pine forest
K023 Juniper - pinyon woodland
K038 Great Basin sagebrush
K039 Blackbrush
K040 Saltbush - greasewood
K041 Creosotebush
K051 Wheatgrass - bluegrass
K055 Sagebrush steppe
K056 Wheatgrass - needlegrass shrubsteppe
K063 Foothills prairie
K064 Grama - needlegrass - wheatgrass
K065 Grama - buffalograss
K066 Wheatgrass - needlegrass
K067 Wheatgrass - bluestem - needlegrass
K070 Sandsage - bluestem prairie
K074 Bluestem prairie
K081 Oak savanna
K098 Northern floodplain forest

American licorice is eaten by deer and pronghorn [7,37,42]. It is grazed in
the summer and early fall by mule deer in Colorado [7]. In the Great
Plains, American licorice roots are eaten by plains pocket gophers, foliage
is eaten by deer and pronghorn, and seeds are eaten by birds and rodents
[7]. In Utah and Wyoming, American licorice is eaten by deer, elk,
pronghorn, upland game birds, passerine birds, waterfowl, and small
mammals [46].

More info for the terms: forb, grassland, heath

American licorice occurs in a variety of habitats but is most often found in
prairie and other grassland communities or riparian areas. On native
tallgrass prairie in eastern North Dakota, American licorice is a member of
three community types: bluegrass-bluestem-needlegrass (Poa
spp.-Andropogon spp.-Stipa spp.), bromegrass (Bromus spp.)-bluegrass,
and bluegrass-sweetclover (Melilotus spp.). Associated plant species in
these communities include Louisiana sagewort (Artemisia ludoviciana),
western snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis), field sowthistle
(Sonchus arvensis), heath aster (Aster ericoides), and northern bedstraw
(Galium boreale) [15]. On mixed-grass prairie in North Dakota, American
licorice occurs in two community types: big bluestem-Indian grass
(Andropogon gerardii var. gerardii-Sorghastrum nutans) and a lowland
forb community dominated by Maximilian sunflower (Helianthus
maximiliani), Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), and prairie
dogbane (Apocynum sibericum) [26]. American licorice is a member of the
plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides), quaking aspen-birch (P.
tremuloides-Betula spp.), and Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus
scopulorum) community types in western North Dakota [41].

In South Dakota, American licorice occurs in grasslands of the Black Hills
[40].

American licorice occurs in riparian areas dominated by plains cottonwood in
Colorado, North Dakota, and Utah [25,29,41]. Some common plant
associates in eastern Colorado include sandbar willow (Salix exigua),
peachleaf willow (S. amygdaloides), saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima),
Wood's rose (Rosa woodsii), eastern poison-ivy (Toxicodendron radicans),
Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), and western wheatgrass
(Pascopyrum smithii) [25,33].

More info for the term: forb

Forb

More info for the term: seed

American licorice has potential as a valuable forage and conservation
species throughout the Great Plains. However, three species of the
bruchid beetle may have substantial impacts on seed production of American licorice.
The bruchid beetle seed predators are Acanthoscelides
aureolus, A. fraterculus, and Bruchophagus grisselli [5,6,50]. In North
and South Dakota, seed predation by A. fraterculus reduced viable seed
production by 7 to 71 percent [6].

American licorice can become a serious weed on fertile soils in Arizona
[20].

American licorice is rated poor in nutritional value for pronghorn and fair
for elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, upland game birds, waterfowl,
small nongame birds, and small mammals [45]. Energy rating is fair and
protein content is poor [46].

AZ AR CA CO ID IL IA KS ME MA
MN MO MT NE NV NM NY ND OK OR
RI SD TX UT WA WY AB BC MB ON
SK MEXICO

Native Americans of the Great Plains used American licorice for medicinal
and nutritional purposes. The Lakota used American licorice as a fever
remedy for children. Steeped leaves were used for earaches, and the
roots were chewed and held in the mouth to relieve toothaches and sore
throats. The roots were also eaten for nourishment [37,44].

The sweet roots of American licorice contain glycyrrhizin, which is used by
druggists and confectioners [22].

Palatability ratings for American licorice from selected western states are
as follows [45]:

CO MT ND UT WY

cattle poor poor poor poor poor
sheep fair fair fair fair fair
horses poor poor poor poor fair

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American licorice flowering dates for several states are as follows:

Arizona May-July [20]
California May-July [28]
Colorado Jun-Aug [46]
Great Plains July-Sep [47,48]
Illinois Jun-Aug [27]
Montana July [46]
Nebraska June-July [34]
North Dakota Jun-Aug [46]
Utah Jun-Aug [46]
Wyoming Jun-Sep [46]

More info for the terms: geophyte, herb, rhizome, secondary colonizer

Rhizomatous herb, rhizome in soil
Geophyte, growing points deep in soil
Secondary colonizer - off-site seed

More info for the terms: scarification, seed

Vegetative: American licorice spreads vigorously by sprouting from rhizomes
[1,2,6,19,44].

Sexual: American licorice produces abundant seeds with relatively low
germination rates, which can be increased with scarification [37].
Seeds were collected from native ranges in western North Dakota. Three
storage treatments were applied to separate lots of seed. Germination
results (in %) were [2]:

room Temp storage dry cold storage wet cold storage
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jan Feb Mar Apr May

65 80 75 77 79 57 71 61 56 60 77 52 69 75 55

The hooked prickles of American licorice seedpods adhere to animals so the
fruits are widely dispersed [37].

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This species can be found in the following regions of the western United States (according to the Bureau of Land Management classification of Physiographic Regions of the western United States):

2 Cascade Mountains
3 Southern Pacific Border
5 Columbia Plateau
6 Upper Basin and Range
7 Lower Basin and Range
8 Northern Rocky Mountains
9 Middle Rocky Mountains
10 Wyoming Basin
11 Southern Rocky Mountains
12 Colorado Plateau
13 Rocky Mountain Piedmont
14 Great Plains
15 Black Hills Uplift
16 Upper Missouri Basin and Broken Lands

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American licorice is an aggressive colonizer of disturbed riparian habitats
[5,17].

Glycyrrhiza glutinosa Nutt. [51]

The scientific name of American licorice is Glycyrrhiza lepidota Pursh.
[13,17,18,47]. It is a member of the Fabaceae family. There are no recognized
infrataxa.

American licorice has good potential for revegtation of disturbed and denuded
lands [2,3,5,17], but may be difficult to establish due to restrictive
habitat requirements [17]. It has good soil-binding capabilities and
can be used for soil stabilization [6,20]. In North Dakota, American
licorice was directly seeded and container-grown seedlings were
transplanted onto coal mine spoils. Both methods resulted in the
production of successful stands of American licorice, although the
transplant method resulted in more rapid growth of seedlings. Estimated
number of seedlings produced in one growing season on mine spoil plots
was 22.3 per square foot (248/sq m) [1,2].

Perennial, Herbs, Plants with rhizomes or suckers, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascending, Stems less than 1 m tall, Plants gland-dotted or with gland-tipped hairs, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules inconspicuous, absent, or caducous, Stipules deciduous, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins en tire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 5-9, Leaflets 10-many, Leaves glandular punctate or gland-dotted, Leaves glabrous or nearly so, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Inflorescences racemes, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts conspicuously present, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 2-lipped or 2-lobed, Calyx hairy, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals ochroleucous, cream colored, Petals greenish yellow, Banner petal narrow or oblanceolate, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Keel petals fused on sides or at tip, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Fruit a legume, Fruit unilocular, Fruit tardily or weakly dehiscent, Fruit indehiscent, Fruit elongate, straight, Fruit or valves persistent on stem, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit spiny, bur-like, with hooked bristles or prickles, Fruit hairy, Fruit 2-seeded, Fruit 3-10 seeded, Seeds reniform, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brow n, or black.

Wild licorice flowerhead, at 8,400 ft (2,600 m) in the Eastern Sierra Nevada

Glycyrrhiza lepidota (American licorice) is a species of Glycyrrhiza (a genus in the pea/bean family, Fabaceae) native to most of North America, from central Canada south through the United States to California, Texas and Virginia, but absent from the southeastern states. It is also sometimes known in the United States as "wild licorice", to distinguish it from the related European licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) which is occasionally cultivated.

The plant grows in moist soils; although it will grow in heavy soil it prefers sandy soil. It grows to 40–100 cm (16–39 in) tall, and has long tough brown roots which are said to be sweet and were used as food and for medicinal purposes by Native Americans. After eating a roasted root in 1806, Meriwether Lewis described an "agreeable flavor not unlike the sweet pittaitoe (sweet potato)."

Burr (seeds) of the wild licorice growing along the South Saskatchewan River bank near Saskatoon, SK

American licorice is not sweet from sugar but from glycyrrhizin. Glycyrrhizin may increase blood pressure (aka hypertension) by interfering with cortisol conversion. The Zuni people chew the root to keep the mouth sweet and moist.

American licorice is grazed by cattle, but not preferred and will increase under grazing as competing plants are grazed off. The new growth can be toxic. It has light green to white flowers in the spring which ripen in the fall to clusters of burs which contain pods of small bean-like seeds.

It can be used as a pioneer species to revegetate bare or disturbed ground and is often the first species to invade a receding alkali flat.

There is a market for American licorice root both for medicinal uses and flavoring; also the sweetening of tobacco products.