Wild Licorice

Glycyrrhiza lepidota

Pollinator Value

🐛 Larval Host: Epargyreus clarus (Silver-spotted Skipper), Colias eurytheme (Orange Sulphur), Strymon melinus (Gray Hairstreak)
S14 filtered to ON/QC-range species; S4 confirms E. clarus

Proximity Score: 4
Native Status: ❌ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ❌ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: SW
CEC Eco-Regions: 9 – Great Plains, 9.4 – South Central Semi-Arid Prairies, 9.4.4 – Flint Hills
Rarity Notes: Ranked S3 (Vulnerable) in Ontario, where it is restricted to scattered populations primarily along the Lake Erie shoreline and southwestern Ontario river valleys. Nationally ranked N5 in Canada and G5 globally. Not listed under SARA. Not native to Quebec.
S22+S48+S26+S1
Rarity Ranks: QC SNA – Not Applicable, ON S3 – Vulnerable
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: A prairie and riparian species of central and western North America, found in moist draws, stream valleys, and roadsides, often in heavy clay or saline soils [S4+S29]. In Ontario it is ranked S3 (Vulnerable) with specimens concentrated along Lake Erie shoreline sand dunes and the Grand River corridor. Its extensive rhizome system and nitrogen-fixing capacity make it an important component of tallgrass prairie communities [S29+S11].
S4+S29+S22+S48+S11

Roles: Fire Retardant, Fortress/Barrier, Nitrogen Fixer, Pollinator Attractor
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fire Retardant: S73 [MEDIUM]: S11 Fire Tolerance = Medium (not definitional)] | Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)] | Nitrogen Fixer: S73 [HIGH]: S11 classified (S53 no signal, not contradictory)] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [MEDIUM]: S68 7 bee associations (threshold=3)]
Notes: A nitrogen-fixing legume with deep rhizomatous roots that fix atmospheric nitrogen via Rhizobium symbiosis [S29+S11]. PFAF identifies it as a dynamic accumulator gathering minerals from deep soil layers into bioavailable form. Its deep root system (4.5 m) mines nutrients from well below the root zone of most companion plants. Suitable as a nitrogen-providing guild member in prairie or food forest herb layers, though its rhizomatous spread requires management.
S29+S11+S58

Category: Analgesic, Antidiarrheal, Antirheumatic, Cough Medicine, Dermatological Aid, Ear Medicine, Febrifuge, Gastrointestinal Aid, Oral Aid, Pediatric Aid, Throat Aid, Toothache Remedy, Veterinary Aid
S28 from Moerman NAEB categories
Notes: Extensively used by numerous Indigenous nations including Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Dakota, and Bannock. Root infusions taken for chest pain, coughs, sore throats, and fevers in children; root chewed for toothache [S28+S29]. Mashed leaves applied as poultice on sores and swellings. Cheyenne chewed roots during Sun Dance ceremony for cooling effect. Root used to speed delivery of placenta after childbirth.
S28+S29

✅ Edible

Foraging Notes: Roots eaten raw or cooked by multiple Indigenous nations; when slow-roasted they taste like sweet potatoes. The root contains 6% glycyrrhizin, 50 times sweeter than sugar. Young spring shoots eaten raw by Cheyenne. Root also chewed as a masticatory and used as a tooth cleaner. Not a commercial food source; USDA rates human palatability as No.
S29+S28+S11