Liquorice
Glycyrrhiza glabra
Description
The liquorice plant, whose name means "sweet root", is a hardy perennial herbaceous plant, that is, resistant to frost, which can exceed one metre in height and is characterised by a vertical root flanked by a few runners growing almost horizontally.
Leaves
The leaves are imparipinnate, that is, composed of long, narrow leaflets, dull, deep green in colour, paired along the rachis (this is the name given to the main vein of a compound leaf) and by a single leaflet at its tip.
Flowers
The small, pretty, bluish-violet flowers open in summer, gathered in axillary inflorescences; they are followed by the typical reddish-brown pods, each containing from 2 to 5 round seeds. ROOT: This is the most characteristic part of the plant: from a rhizomatous, and therefore fleshy, main root branch several stolons, that is, elongated offshoots, rough and dark on the outside but yellow inside. Liquorice root is much used in confectionery.
Exposure
The ideal exposure is warm and sunny.
Propagation
To propagate liquorice, pieces of rhizome with at least three nodes are usually taken; propagation from seed is much less frequent. The ideal soil is of medium texture and deeply worked
Growth
Liquorice, growing wild in Italy and widespread above all in Sicily, Calabria and Abruzzo, requires no particular care and does not benefit from rich fertilisation, which produces more developed plants but ones poorer in beneficial properties.
Harvesting
The roots, after being lifted from the ground in late autumn of the third year of cultivation, and peeled, are dried to be sold in the form of sticks the size of a pencil or a little larger. They are durable.. After long boiling, the roots yield a dark liquid that is the basis for producing black liquorice.
Storage
The roots, cut into pieces, are dried. The stalks are candied or cooked to make compotes and jams.
Properties
IN THE KITCHEN: Liquorice is used in making desserts, and is excellent for sweetening herbal teas.
Health
Liquorice roots, infused, are a good remedy for coughs, as they have emollient properties; a sore throat too can be fought by chewing a piece of root. Those with low blood pressure, that is, below normal levels, can benefit from eating liquorice, which tends to raise blood pressure. Finally, liquorice has a mild laxative action.