Liquorice Plant
Helichrysum petiolare, better known as the Licorice Plant, is a favourite among gardeners for its soft, silver-grey foliage and easy-care nature.
This trailing mound forming. evergreen shrub adds texture and contrast to garden beds, containers, and hanging baskets, making it one of the most versatile foliage plants for warm or dry conditions.
It grows well in coastal areas and be clipped back to maintain shape.
Often difficult to find in nurseries H. petiolare (foliage pictured right) is another ‘old fashioned plant’ well suited to use in a cottage garden.
Regarded as drought tolerant, it grows as a small evergreen shrub that is useful as a ground cover or as a low hedge. Small cream flowers during summer
Description
Native to southern Africa, Helichrysum petiolare forms a spreading, trailing habit with stems clothed in velvety, silvery leaves. It usually grows around 30–60 cm high and can spread a metre or more depending on conditions and pruning.
Clusters of creamy-yellow flowers may appear in summer, they are modest and often secondary to the plant’s foliage appeal. The leaves give off a subtle, pleasant scent when brushed or crushed, adding extra dimension in sensory gardens.
Why Grow Helichrysum petiolare?
- Low-maintenance and drought-tolerant: Once established, this is a tough, water-wise plant that thrives with very little care.
- Versatile in design: Excellent as a trailing feature in pots and hanging baskets, or as a groundcover for borders and rockeries. It also cascades attractively over retaining walls or raised beds.
- Year-round appeal: The soft silver foliage provides contrast all year, pairing beautifully with greens, burgundy tones, or bold flowering perennials.
- Coastal and frost-tolerant: Handles sandy or rocky soils and tolerates salt spray, making it ideal for coastal or dry garden designs.
Plant Profile and Growing Hints
Propagation is easy from cuttings taken during the growing season.
Can be cut back hard to maintain shape. If you are looking for a plant to use in the border as a filler, or on embankments as a ground cover plant Helichrysum petiolare or ‘liquorice plant is worth looking at.
Summary Information
- Botanical Name – Helichrysum petiolare
- Common Names – Liquorice Plant
- Climate – Temperate climates to Cool Temperate.
- Soil Humus – Well drained humus rich soils.
- Position – Full sun to dappled shade
- Frost tolerant – Yes
- Height – To 60 cms
- Spread – To 1 metre
- Foliage – Pale to Mid green
- Flowers – Small white
- Flowering period – Spring to summer.
- Growth Rate – Medium to fast.
Landscaping Uses for Helichrysum petiolare
Used largely as tall growing ground cover it will quickly cover over 1 square metre but is fairly easy to control. It is drought tolerant once established, so is a great plant for hot sunny positions.
- Groundcover: Quickly fills space and suppresses weeds while giving a soft texture.
- Containers and hanging baskets: Perfect for trailing over the edges for a silver cascade effect.
- Borders and mixed beds: Pairs well with dark-leaved plants or bright flowers for contrast.
- Coastal and Mediterranean gardens: Suited to dry climates and nutrient-poor soils.
Grown mainly for its soft grey green aromatic foliage (smells a bit like liquorice) it is drought tolerant and generally hardy. Tall flowers spikes appear in early summer with cream coloured flowers lasting well into summer and autumn
Companion Plants
This is a plant that works well as a mass planting along a retaining wall or similar as well as in mixed plantings where its soft silver foliage can either cool down strong colours or highlight deep greens and purples. Choose companions that prefer full sun, well-drained soil, and low to moderate water.
- Lavender (English or French types) for purple flower spikes and fragrance in the same dry, sunny conditions.
- Rosemary and other Mediterranean herbs (thyme, oregano, sage) for similar water needs and a classic coastal or Mediterranean look.
- Dark-leaved Alternanthera or purple-foliage plants to contrast strongly with the silver leaves in borders and containers.
- Native violets or low green groundcovers to provide a lush green carpet beneath or beside the trailing silver stems.
- Drought-tolerant perennials such as salvias, sedums, cannas, and tuberous begonias in larger beds or feature containers, where the Licorice Plant can spill over the edge.
Available for sale from the following participating nurseries
Large range of Rare, Unusual and Old Fashioned Perennials. Includes Artemisias, Achilleas, Geraniums, Geums, Salvias, Penstemon and Francoa.
www.yellowhouseheritageperennials.com.au