Licorice plant (Silver licorice) care

Light

In the wild licorice plant grows on the bright edge of a forest canopy, not in the canopy and not in the open. Indoors, that translates to within a metre of an unobstructed window, sheer curtain optional. Performs best in full sun to partial shade. In hot climates light afternoon shade prevents foliage scorch. As an indoor/container plant, place in the brightest spot available — a south- or west-facing window. The fastest test: a hand held at the leaf casts a soft-edged shadow at noon — sharp shadow means too much sun, no shadow means too little light.

Watering

Aim for every 7–14 days; allow top 2–3 cm to dry for licorice plant, but treat that as a starting point rather than a rule. A south-facing summer windowsill will dry the pot twice as fast as a north-facing winter room. Lift the pot; if it feels noticeably lighter than it did wet, water it. Grows in dry to medium moisture soils. Sensitive to overwatering and waterlogging — root rot is the leading cause of plant loss. Felted leaves trap surface moisture; always water at the base. Reduce watering significantly in winter.

Soil and pot

Licorice plant grows best in average to poor, very well-drained loam or sandy mix. Tolerates poor soil well. Superior drainage is more important than fertility. Use a gritty potting mix or add 20–30% perlite to all-purpose compost for containers. Avoid water-retentive peat-heavy mixes. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Licorice plant sits happiest at around 30–55% humidity and 10–30°C (50–86°F). Adapted to dry conditions; low to moderate humidity suits it best. The woolly leaf hairs reduce water loss but can trap moisture and harbour mould in high-humidity environments. Ensure good air circulation. If you keep the room above 10–30°C year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed licorice plant sparingly. Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength once a month during the growing season. Excessive feeding produces lush, soft growth prone to rot. No feeding needed in winter. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on licorice plant in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Root rot — The most frequent problem; caused by waterlogged soil or containers without drainage holes. Use very free-draining compost and never allow the pot to sit in water.
• Botrytis (grey mould) on foliage — Fluffy grey mould develops on the felted leaves in cool, damp conditions. Increase air circulation, remove affected leaves promptly, and avoid overhead watering.
• Leggy, sparse growth — Occurs in insufficient light. Move to a sunnier spot and pinch growing tips regularly to encourage dense, bushy growth.

Propagation

Take softwood or semi-ripe stem cuttings 8–10 cm long in late summer. Insert in gritty, free-draining compost; rooting takes 3–5 weeks at 18°C. In colder climates, take cuttings before autumn frost and overwinter rooted plants under glass. Seed can be sown at 18°C in spring, but vegetative propagation is faster and more reliable. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Licorice plant is pet-safe. Helichrysum petiolare is not individually listed by the ASPCA, but no toxic principle has been identified in Helichrysum species for dogs, cats, or horses. Mild GI upset is possible if ingested in quantity. Verify with a vet if a pet shows adverse signs. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Licorice plant deep-dive guides

Every aspect of licorice plant care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Common licorice plant problems & fixes
• Licorice plant watering schedule
• Licorice plant light requirements
• Best soil mix for licorice plant
• Licorice plant fertilizing guide
• When to repot licorice plant
• How to propagate licorice plant
• How to prune licorice plant
• What's eating my licorice plant?
• Licorice plant growth rate & size
• Licorice plant cold hardiness
• Licorice plant temperature & humidity
• Is licorice plant toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is licorice plant toxic to cats?
• Is licorice plant toxic to dogs?
• Getting licorice plant to bloom

Featured in these plant shortlists

Licorice plant qualifies for 10 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best pet-safe houseplants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — every one verified against the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.
• Best plants for a north-facing window — Houseplants for a north-facing window: bright, even, indirect light and no scorching direct sun. Each pick verified against its documented light needs.
• Best trailing & climbing houseplants — Vining and trailing houseplants for shelves, hanging pots, and moss poles — selected by growth habit.
• Best flowering houseplants — Indoor plants grown for their blooms — selected from the flowering species in Growli’s plant-care library.
• Best pet-safe trailing & hanging plants — Trailing and climbing plants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — safe for shelves and hanging pots in a pet home.
• Best pet-safe flowering plants — Flowering houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — colour and blooms in a pet home, without the worry.
• Best pet-safe plants for bright light — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and happy in a bright, sunny spot — safe plants for your best-lit windowsill.
• Best houseplants for a cool room — Houseplants that tolerate cool conditions down to about 10°C — for an unheated spare room, hallway, porch or a home kept cool.
• Best cat-safe plants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats (and dogs) — safe greenery for a home with a curious cat.
• Best dog-safe plants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to dogs (and cats) — safe greenery for a home with a curious dog.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Licorice plant is also known as Licorice plant, Silver licorice, and Liquorice plant.

• Kniphofia uvaria care — light, water and common problems
• Kniphofia 'Tawny King' care — light, water and common problems
• Kniphofia 'Alcazar' care — light, water and common problems
• All 8452 plant care guides in the Growli library