Erowid Licorice Vault Become a member today and help keep Erowid online. Be unusually kind to others during this period of uncertainty. This erect, somewhat branching polant issues from a stringy taproot which is brown on the outside and yellow on the inside. The taproot grows to 4 ft long and sends out stolons which in turn branch into a tangled mass of rootlets. The leaves are lighter and slightly sticky underneath.
Licorice root is used to flavor and color a wide variety of foods.
The roots can also be chewed alone. It is used in cough medications as it soothes the chest and helps bring up phlegm. It is used to treat ulcers, rheumatism, arthritis, and to induce menstruation. In powder form it has been used as a laxative. Native to the Mediterranean and central and southwest Asia, it is now extensively cultivated throughout the world.