Licorice Plant

In her book Annuals For Michigan, Nancy Szerlag notes that “the Licorice Plant makes an outstanding filler for large container plantings. This vining subshrub with its elegant, velvety leaves, complement and cool down strong colors.” It is called “Licorice” plant because when the plant needs water badly, the leaves will wilt and offer a faint licorice like fragrance.

Size While it is usually pruned to any size in a container, if grown in an environment where there is no frost or winter, it will become a waist high shrub.

Foliage - It is the foliage that makes this plant popular. Various varieties can come with foliage that is chartreuse, silver, or silver and chartreuse. The leaves are the size of a nickel to a quarter.

Flowers The cream colored flowers are not really ugly, but they are not the reason for growing this plant. Most yardeners will pinch off the flowers if they appear.