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Cichorium intybus
Also called Succory, French Endive, Wild Chicory, Belgium Endive, Blue Sailors, Chickory, Coffee Chicory
Chicory is a hardy perennial herb grown for salad leaves, blanched buds, and roots used as a coffee substitute and inulin source. It is easy to grow in full sun and well-drained soil, and is tolerant of dry conditions once established.
Common chicory (Cichorium intybus) is a somewhat woody, perennial herbaceous plant of the family Asteraceae, usually with bright blue flowers, rarely white or pink. Native to Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, it has been introduced to the Americas, Australia, and South Africa.
Many varieties are cultivated for salad leaves, chicons, or blanched buds, or roots (var. sativum), which are baked, ground, and used as a coffee substitute and food additive. In the 21st century, inulin, an extract from chicory root, has been used in food manufacturing as a sweetener and source of dietary fiber. Chicory is also grown as a forage crop for livestock.
Chicory is native to western Asia, North Africa, and Europe. It lives as a wild plant on roadsides in Europe. The plant was brought to North America by early European colonists. It is also common in China and Australia, where it has become widely naturalized.
Cultivated endive · Belgian endive · Wild Endive · Spiny Chicory · Chicory
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Chicory by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
