PlantFiles: Chinese Licorice, Gan-cao
Glycyrrhiza uralensis

Glycyrrihiza uralensis; Chinese Licorice:
Chinese Pinyin: Gan Cao
Chinese character: 甘草
Meaning: Sweet Herb
A very common herb in traditional Chinese medicine used to harmonize or detoxify other ingredients in a formula.

My own"UK" experience with Gan Cao is as follows:-
In april soak seeds in warm water for 24hrs, sow seeds in a deep half tray of compost mix 2/3rds general purpose compost to 1/3rd grit sand, with a light covering of the mix.
Place tray in cold greenhouse and keep the compost moist, initial germination takes place within 8 or 9 days, but will continue over a period of 4 to 6 weeks so do not give up after the first round of germinations.
Prick out seedlings into 3" pots when first true leaves form, after one month re-pot into 5" dia 8" long sections of plastic pipe to encourage root growth.
The plants should be over wintered in the cold greenhouse to toughen up the root system against slug attack.
In april of the second year dig out 8" holes in the soil 18" between plants where you wish to grow them, place pipe in the hole, tap around the pipe with a trowel to break compost adhesion within the pipe, back fill soil around the pipe, gently remove it and lightly press soil around the surface area.
Harvesting should take place in the late autumn of the third year when the foliage has died down or spring of the fourth year before foliage appears.
This will work for those in zones 6 to 8.
If slugs are a problem it is advisable to invest in a nematode product to ensure that you will have roots to harvest.

Herbhealer

About Chinese Licorice: "Gan-cao" in China. Traditional Chinese medicinal preparations called for this species for helping many internal human biological deficiencies offering balancing of hormones and human energy. The herb has been known to be used for various purposes medicinally since 500 B.C.

Medicinal Use: First it is a popular flavoring. Second, the plant has been known to offer balancing of hormones and energy. It is used often for throat urinary, intestinal and stomach irritations. The spring harvested root is 50 times sweeter than sugar with up to 24% glycyrrhizin.