Cichorium intybus

Cichorium intybus (chicory) — a bittersweet Mediterranean leaf used since antiquity, from radicchio and sugarloaf to forcing witloof and coffee-substitute root. The botanical home of our chicory range.

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Cichorium intybus — chicory

Cichorium intybus is the botanical name for chicory, a hardy leafy plant in the daisy family (Asteraceae) grown for crisp, bittersweet salad and for forcing. It is the species behind our chicory range within the leafy greens collection.

History & origin

Chicory is native to Europe, the Mediterranean and western Asia, where its blue-flowered wild form still grows along roadsides. It has been used since antiquity — the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans valued it as a salad leaf and a medicinal herb. Two later developments made it a kitchen-garden favourite: the use of roasted chicory root as a coffee substitute and additive, and the discovery in 19th-century Belgium of how to force the roots in the dark to produce tender white chicons, the “Belgian endive” or witloof.

Its name comes from Cichorium, the classical Latin and Greek name for the plant.

Botanical characteristics

A hardy perennial usually grown as an annual or biennial, chicory ranges from hearting radicchio and sugarloaf, eaten like a crisp lettuce, to leaf and root types and the forcing chicory used for witloof. Its characteristic pleasant bitterness mellows with cold weather and blanching. It crops when summer salads fade, pairing well with lettuce and quick Asian greens to keep the salad bowl full.

Growing Cichorium intybus from seed

Sow direct from early summer for autumn and winter use, keeping the soil moist. Hearting types are simply grown on and cut; forcing (witloof) types are lifted in autumn and grown on in the dark to produce pale, sweet chicons. Many are fully hardy and stand through cold weather. Our vegetable sowing calendar and soil guide cover the basics.

Ready to grow chicory? Browse the varieties or learn the basics first.

Related categories: Chicory · Leafy Greens · Lettuce · Asian Greens · Spinach

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cichorium intybus?
It is the botanical name for chicory, a hardy leaf in the daisy family.

Where does chicory originate?
From Europe, the Mediterranean and western Asia, and it has been used since antiquity.

What is witloof or Belgian endive?
Tender white chicons forced from chicory roots in the dark, a technique discovered in 19th-century Belgium.

Is chicory very bitter?
Pleasantly so — cold weather and blanching mellow the bitterness.

When do I sow chicory?
From early to midsummer for autumn and winter salads.