About
'Cichorium endivia 'Pancalieri' is a decorative endive variety that yields substantial heads featuring dark green, frilly outer leaves and nearly self-blanching, creamy white hearts. This plant can be harvested year-round when given protection during the winter months. If allowed to flower, it produces light blue blooms. It serves as an excellent option for salads.
About the genus
Cichorium comprises both annual and perennial species characterized by loosely branching stems. The leaves are either toothed or pinnately lobed, and the plants produce dandelion-like flowers, typically blue, which tend to close by early afternoon during the summer months.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, North-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H3
Plant details
- Plant type
- Annual Biennial, Herbs - Culinary
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 1 year
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in light, fertile, rich soil in cool conditions. Sow seed between April and August for a Summer or Autumn harvest. May bolt if sown too early in Spring or soil is dry - keep moist. See RHS GYO advice profile on Endive for further information
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed. See sowing vegetable seeds
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free. May be susceptible to slugs and snails on young shoots
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free