Overview

Cichorium intybus f. album is a perennial herb in the genus Cichorium, part of the Asteraceae family, with deciduous foliage. Cichorium intybus f. album grows best in full sun, and tolerates most soils. Its UK hardiness is rated H7. Suggested uses include edible leaves, roots for coffee substitute and ornamental. It is native to Europe.

About

Cichorium intybus f. album is a perennial herb in the Asteraceae notable for its usually bright blue flower heads. The plant has a somewhat woody habit and is cultivated in several forms for leaves, blanched buds and roots. It flowers in the UK from July to September. Some forms produce white or pale pink flowers rather than blue.

About the genus

Cichorium is a genus of plants in the tribe Cichorieae within the family Asteraceae. The genus includes two cultivated species commonly known as chicory or endive, plus several wild species.

Wikipedia contributors, "Cichorium", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Cichorium

In the garden

Cichorium intybus f. album, often called common chicory, belongs to the genus Cichorium within the daisy family Asteraceae and is native to parts of Europe, North Africa and western Asia. Garden and cultivated forms have been selected over centuries for different purposes: salad leaves, blanched buds (chicons) and for roots that can be roasted and used as a coffee substitute or processed for inulin. Growers choose varieties to suit the intended use — leaf types for salads, specialised types for forcing into chicons, and root varieties for harvest. Many types are propagated by seed and are managed according to their purpose; blanched buds are produced by excluding light from growing shoots. Flowering in the UK runs from July to September when the typically bright blue flower heads open; white or pale-pink-flowering plants occur less often. In a UK garden, chicory can be kept within an edible plot or allowed to naturalise at margins where its blue blooms contribute to summer colour while also producing harvestable leaves or roots. Where roots are the aim, plants are left in place long enough to develop a substantial taproot for roasting or industrial processing.

Growing conditions

Best soil and position for Cichorium

Sunlight

Full sun

Soil type

Sandy, Loamy, Clay

Soil moisture

Moist but well-drained

UK hardiness

H7

Plant details

Cichorium intybus f. album size, habit and characteristics

Plant type

Perennial herb

Foliage

Deciduous

Suggested uses

Edible leaves, roots for coffee substitute, ornamental

Native to

Europe

Care notes

Pruning and caring for Cichorium intybus f. album

Cultivation

Prefers full sun and well-drained soil; tolerates poor soils; avoid waterlogging

Pruning

Remove flower heads to prolong leaf production; cut back after flowering to encourage regrowth

Propagation

Seed

Frequently asked questions