Licorice turns desert green, fertile in Inner Mongolia

Licorice is a pioneering plant when it comes to sand stabilization, because it is capable of withstanding cold and drought. Photo taken in Kubuqi Desert, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region on July 23, 2018. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Licorice grown in the Amugulong Licorice Industry Demonstration Park in Kubuqi Desert turns desert green and helps halt desertification. Moreover, it helps soil regain integrity to host other crops and its root is used as an important ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine.

One vertically grown licorice can cover 0.1 square meters of land. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Licorice in the Amugulong Licorice Industry Demonstration Park is grown horizontally. Therefore, it can cover one square meter of land, amplifying the greening efficiency by 10 times.

Photo taken in Kubuqi Desert, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region on July 23, 2018. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Because the root of licorice can fix nitrogen and thus fertilize land, watermelons and other plants are able to grow in desert after licorice has helped soil regain integrity.

Licorice is known as the "king of herbal medicine" and appears in nine out of 10 prescriptions in traditional Chinese medicine. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

The Amugulong Licorice Industry Demonstration Park uses solar energy for irrigation. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]