Species library · Plants & herbs

Foraging American Licorice

Glycyrrhiza lepidota

Typically in season from April to May in the northern hemisphere. Found in Grassland, Wetland. Has toxic lookalikes, so check carefully.

American Licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota)

Photo: (c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · iNaturalist

When American Licorice is in season

Typical window in the northern hemisphere, peak April to May. The southern hemisphere runs about six months offset, and your own timing depends on local weather, so check your town.

→ Everything in season to forage in September

Where it grows

American Licorice is usually found in Grassland, Wetland.

⚠ Look-alikes & safety

Toxic look-alikes: woolly locoweed, Lambert's crazyweed, Canadian milkvetch. Only forage with a confident ID.

Take American Licorice into the field

Open American Licorice in the Forage app for its full field guide entry with more photos, key features and toxic lookalikes to check against. Add it to your watchlist and the app pings you the moment it comes into season at your exact spot, worked out from live weather, elevation and billions of occurrence records.

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American Licorice: common questions

When is American Licorice in season?

American Licorice is generally in season from April to May in temperate northern regions. The exact timing shifts with latitude, elevation and each year's weather. Check the Season Finder for your own location.

Where does American Licorice grow?

American Licorice is usually found in Grassland, Wetland.

Is American Licorice safe to forage?

Toxic look-alikes: woolly locoweed, Lambert's crazyweed, Canadian milkvetch. Only forage with a confident ID. Never eat any wild plant, berry, nut or mushroom unless you are completely certain of the identification. Check every find against a reliable field guide, and when in doubt, don't.

One note before you head out

Forage helps you discover and identify wild plants, but identification is never 100% certain. Many edible plants have toxic lookalikes. Never eat anything you find based only on what this app tells you. Always confirm with a field guide, an experienced forager or a local expert. The season score tells you where to look, too: it’s not a guarantee. Mind conservation law and property rights as well.

Species photos via Wikimedia Commons and iNaturalist · full credits