Glycyrrhiza uralensis aka Asian Liquorice

Glycyrrhiza uralensis is a perennial in the pea family, Fabaceae. Its common names include Gan Cao and Ural mountain liquorice. Its native range spans eastern European Russia, Siberia and Pakistan. Other records place it across China, Mongolia and Central Asia. It grows in temperate regions and is not native to Britain or Ireland. Wild habitats include meadows, woods beside rivers and slopes with sodium-rich soils.

Plants reach about 2 feet (0.6 metres) tall. Their spread is about 1.3 feet (0.4 metres). The roots grow deep into the soil. Once plants take hold, removing them can be hard. This matters when choosing a lasting place in a bed. Root nodules house bacteria that fix nitrogen from the air. The plant flowers from June to August. Each flower has both male and female organs. Seeds ripen from July to October.

For root crops, give it deep, fertile, well-worked soil. The soil should hold moisture. Sandy soil with plenty of moisture suits it well. It also grows in loam and clay. It accepts mildly acid, neutral and mildly alkaline soil. Slightly alkaline ground gives the best results reported by PFAF. Grow it in full sun or light shade. PFAF lists USDA zones 5–9 and cold tolerance to at least −15°C. Growers in China raise it widely as a medicinal crop. They may remove flowers to direct growth toward the roots.

The fibrous root provides a sweet extract for food and drinks. Boiling it in water draws out the sweet compounds. The extract serves as a liquorice substitute in sweets and medicines. Its glycyrrhizin is reported as 50 times sweeter than sugar. Gan Cao also has a long role in Chinese herbal practice. This history does not make unrestricted use safe. PFAF warns that excess use can harm heart function. It can also cause severe high blood pressure. Its separate hazard entry reports no known hazards, despite that warning.

Seeds and root division offer two ways to raise plants. Seeds need a warm-water soak before spring or autumn sowing. Seed-grown plants develop slowly and spend their first winter under glass. Root divisions need at least one growth bud. After extraction, spent roots have several further uses. These include fire-extinguishing products, fibreboard insulation and mushroom-growing compost. PFAF also lists the plant for mulch and soil improvement.