Licorice Licorice Plant

Licorice plant is a low, trailing Helichrysum petiolare grown for soft leaves covered in fine silvery hairs. Its stems spill from baskets and containers or spread across a low edge, while small flowers remain secondary to the foliage. [Purdue’s annual-plant guide describes a compact form that grows 6–9 inches tall and spreads to about 20–30 inches](https://www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/master-gardener/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2016/09/Quick-Guide-to-Ornamental-Annuals-Welch-Keesey-Feb09reduced.pdf); [Kwantlen Polytechnic University notes that cultivar sizes vary and describes the species’ trailing habit](https://plantdatabase.kpu.ca/Plant/hepe). ## Size and Siting Use it where a spreading plant can soften a container edge or cover open soil without climbing over nearby plants. Helichrysum petiolare is commonly grown as an annual outside mild climates, and individual forms can differ substantially in mature size. ## Growing Conditions Provide full sun to part shade and freely draining soil. Purdue recommends avoiding excess fertilizer; the plant may wilt as soil dries but recovers after watering. Allow the surface to begin drying between waterings. ## Maintenance Trim back stems that outgrow their allotted space. Remove damaged leaves after cold or wet weather, and check container plants more often during heat because their root zones dry quickly.