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Gerald L. Klingaman
Asteraceae
Cichorium intybus
Radicchio, Wild Chicory
Native to Europe and the Mediterranean and naturalized worldwide, wild chicory is a clumping perennial grown for its long, lobed, edible leaves and for its stout taproot, which is used as a coffee substitute. It also has medicinal uses, and is sometimes cultivated in ornamental gardens for its flowers.
"Leaf chicories" come in several types. The bitter, dandelion-like leaves of loose-leaf chicories are good in salads (when young) or in cooked dishes. Witloof or Belgian endive bears erect heads of narrower leaves, which are grown in low light (or "blanched") to provide greens for salads and sautés. Broad-leaved types such as radicchio form dense cabbage-like heads of rounded, shallowly lobed, often ruffled leaves, which may be green or burgundy-red.
Plants grown for their roots are sometimes known as Cichorium intybus var. sativum. Young roots are roasted, ground, and added to beverages including coffee, tea and stout. All parts of the chicory plant including its milky sap have been used medicinally.
Clusters of pretty blue daisy-like blooms are produced atop tall leafless stalks if plants are allowed to mature. Pink- and white-flowered forms are occasionally sold. The small brown wedge-shaped seeds that follow the flowers are tipped with bristly hairs which aid in dispersal. Plants self-sow liberally in favorable sites.
Grow this perennial in full sun and moist, well-drained soil. Chicory grows best in cool weather, so in most temperate zones it is best as a spring or fall crop. In mild, frost-free climates it is a favorite winter crop. Time from sowing to harvest varies from 4 to 5 weeks for loose-leaved types to 10 to 12 weeks for broad-leaved types.
9 - 1
4 - 10
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Vegetable
Full Sun, Partial Sun
24"-48" / 61.0cm - 121.9cm
12"-24" / 30.5cm - 61.0cm
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Europe, Mediterranean, Northern Africa, Western Asia
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Well Drained
Loam, Sand
Medium
Average Water
Clump-Forming
Summer
Showy
Sky Blue
Brown
Green
No
Yes
Matte
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Sometimes
Butterflies
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