Licorice Plant

Licorice Plant (Helichrysum petiolare) is the fast way to thread silver through a garden. This African groundcover grows 60cm tall, spreads to about 1.5m and builds a soft mound of felted, silver grey leaves that flatters everything near it. It shrugs off drought, heat, salt and poor soil, and it covers ground quickly enough to earn its keep in the first season.

Why you'll love it

• Silver that works all year. The felted foliage holds its colour through every season, giving beds a permanent contrast plant that never depends on flowers.
• Fast, honest cover. One plant spreads to around 1.5m, so a handful fills a bare bank or new bed before weeds get a look in.
• Thrives on neglect. Established plants handle drought, heat, salt spray and poor soil: a fit for the beds you never quite get to.
• Trails as well as it carpets. The sprawling stems spill over pot edges, rockery stone and low walls in a way that looks deliberate without any training.
• Quiet cream flowers. Small cream blooms appear in season, but the silver foliage is the point.

Where it works best

Groundcover. Plant 60cm apart for a continuous silver carpet. At that spacing plants knit fast while keeping enough air to stay dense.

Pots and containers. Plant it at the edge of a large pot where the stems can trail; it copes well with the dry spells potted plants endure.

Borders, edging and rockeries. The low habit and pale foliage give a clean edge along paths and sit naturally between rocks in reflected heat.

Coastal gardens. Salt tolerance means it keeps its looks in beachside beds where softer groundcovers burn.

Growing Licorice Plant in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun in an open position gives the densest, most silver growth. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi arid gardens. It is not a plant for the humid tropics or subtropics, where steamy summers thin it out. It takes light frost only, so in hard frost districts grow it as a fast filler or give it a warm, sheltered spot.

Soil. Any soil that drains, including poor and sandy ground. Wet feet are the one thing it will not forgive, so on heavy clay plant it on a mound or slope.

Water and feed. Water weekly through its first summer, then let rain do the work. A light dressing of slow release fertiliser in spring is plenty.

Pruning. Trim lightly in spring and whenever it wanders past its bed. Regular light cuts keep the mound tight and the foliage fresh.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Licorice Plant as tube stock and as 140mm pots in packs of 10, which suits the way most people use it: in numbers, as groundcover. Tube stock is small on arrival but moves quickly once planted; the 140mm plants arrive well branched. Soft silver growth can look tired after transit and freshens within a fortnight.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Our guide to choosing groundcover plants
• Browse the full groundcover range
• More plants for coastal gardens
• Drought tolerant plants for dry beds

Common questions

Is this the licorice you can eat?

No. The name comes from the faint licorice scent of the foliage. It is an ornamental foliage plant, not the culinary licorice root, so buy it for the silver, not the pantry.

How quickly will it cover a bed?

It is genuinely fast. Planted 60cm apart in spring, plants usually meet within their first warm season, and each one will eventually spread to about 1.5m.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only. In cool districts with occasional light frosts it carries on fine, but in hard frost areas treat it as a quick seasonal filler or site it against a warm wall.

Why is my plant going sparse in summer?

Usually humidity or wet soil. Steamy summers thin it out, and constant moisture around the stems opens the mound. Improve drainage, ease off watering and trim it back; it regrows densely.