Glycyrrhiza yunnanensis

The Glycyrrhiza yunnanensis, also known as the Yunnan Licorice, is a medicinal plant of Chinese origin that closely resembles the famous smooth licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) used in confectionery and to flavor beverages. Like the latter, it is a vigorous perennial bushy plant that develops decorative alfalfa foliage. This species offers beautiful lilac flowers in summer, followed by an original reddish fruiting that remains decorative in winter. Hardy and undemanding, requiring very little maintenance, this unusual plant finds its place in large flower borders and country flowerbeds.

The Glycyrrhiza yunnanensis, from the family Fabaceae, is native to the Chinese province of Yunnan, as its name suggests. It is a plant that prefers fresh, light, and deep soil, and tolerates limestone well. Its long aromatic roots, harvested in winter, are traditionally used in Chinese pharmacopoeia. It is a deciduous perennial plant, with foliage that disappears in winter and reappears in spring. Its stump consists of long roots that spread laterally. Its growth is rather fast, reaching between 1m (3ft) and 1.20m (4ft) in height at maturity with a spread of 80cm (32in), depending on the growing conditions. Its long brown stems bear compound foliage with long leaves divided into 7 to 15 slightly sticky pointed leaflets, of a bright green colour. The small mauve and white flowers are grouped in spherical inflorescences, resembling those of clover. They appear between late June and late August or early September. After pollination by insects, fruits form, which are oval-shaped, spiny pods that change from green to reddish-violet, and then to rust brown. This decorative fruiting can be used perfectly in fresh or dried bouquets.

The Chinese licorice has the charm and natural resistance of wild plants. This perennial integrates well into country landscapes and naturalistic-inspired flower beds. For example, you can associate it with grasses, perennial geraniums with blue flowers, perennial salvias, wild roses, and yarrows. As for maintenance, a simple pruning of the stems at the end of winter is sufficient, which can be done with shears. You can also associate it with shrubs and perennials of different sizes, shapes, and colors to create a tableau that blends naturalness and sophistication: amaranths, California poppies, bellflowers, miscanthus, gauras, and shrub salvias, interspersed with small Stipa, for example.