Helichrysum petiolare - Licorice Plant
I thought Helichrysum petiolare was cute when I purchased it for the first time in its 1 gallon pot. After less than a year and a hundredfold increase in size I changed my mind. I still think the Licorice Plant is beautiful in the right place but have given it much more room to ramble (8' x 8' or more). Helichrysum petiolare looks lousy after a recent haircut. Licorice Plant grows well in shade though seems happier in full sun. Helichrysum petiolare requires little or no additional water and seems to grow even better for the lack of care. Helichrysum petiolare is also a plant that I recommend for use under oaks when looking for something gray and not wishing to do much watering. Mature plants can survive a light shearing but they argue when cut back to dead-looking wood. I usually shear them after they blooms in the early Spring. Though I have not had much problem with Helichrysum petiolare seedlings in my Southern California landscapes, caution should be used when planting near wild lands. Helichrysum petiolare is on the escaped plant list for Mt. Tamalpais near San Francisco.
Flowers and grey foliage of Helchrysum petiolare - Licorice Plant. High resolution photos are part of our garden image collection.
Other plants from the Helichrysum Genus featured on this site:
Helichrysum petiolare Limelight