Helichrysum—Licorice Vine

Licorice vine in hanging basket

We believe supporting players deserve some recognition for all their hard work, filling and spilling in the background to maintain a strong foundation while fancy flowering plants get all the glory. Such is the fate of helichrysum, more commonly known as licorice vine. It's a plant we keep handy in the design tool box and we have to admit, we sometimes tend to take it for granted.

Attracts butterflies

For instance, notice its subtle colors: silver, gray, and chartreuse—pretty in a soft, unobtrusive way. These shades allow bold colors to shine and make subdued pinks and lavenders appear a bit more intense. Neutral tones like these complement a wide range of material which is one reason why this plant is so valuable.

Velvety texture

Licorice vine has a soft appearance in another respect as well; its leaves feel like crushed velvet. That downy texture, along with its lovely trailing, draping habit helps to mute and blend colors in a design, adding an extra dimension of interest—passersby will want to reach out and touch it.

Softness notwithstanding, this is one tough plant to have in the tool box: it's tolerant of poor, dry, and rocky soil and requires very little water. The foliage looks best in full sun but plants can be grown in part shade as well. All in all, licorice vine goes about its business making other plants look good while asking very little in return, maintenance-wise.

We have five varieties of helichrysum to spill over walls and out of hanging baskets, fill in rock gardens, or use as a low, spreading groundcover in the landscape. All come in the 1801 flat:

‘Licorice’—soft, trailing silver foliage

‘Petite Licorice’—soft, silvery foliage of small, round leaves

‘Splash’—soft gray-green foliage splashed with cream

‘Lemon’—soft, pale chartreuse foliage

‘Icicles’—long, silvery needle-like foliage in a mounding habit; this variety is a good choice for rock gardens—it's more of a filler than a spiller