By Erin Creekmur
U.C. Cooperative Extension,
El Dorado Co. Master Gardeners
Publication Date: August 6,
2004
While
driving around El Dorado County this summer, you may have noticed the blooms of
a delicate roadside plant with brilliant light blue sunrays tucked in at the
base of small leaves. Cichorium intybus has many different
names around the world; it’s known as succory in England, blue sailors in the
southeast or, more commonly, as chicory.
The slender branching stalk of this perennial herb has a basal rosette
of finely divided leaves and a deep taproot with milky sap that resembles its
close relative, the dandelion. However
prevalent this plant is, it is not native to the US and at times has been
included on invasive weed lists. It
originated in Europe, with a rich history to follow.
Medicinal
uses as a mild liver stimulant with low toxicity trace back thousands of years
to Egypt and Greece. The leaves had a
recorded use in Roman times as a salad green.
In the eighteenth century, the renowned naturalist Linnaeus observed the
flowers consistently opened and closed at fixed times of the day, which he
incorporated into the first scheme of a floral clock. When Napoleon instituted a trade embargo in the early 1800’s,
chicory roots were used as a coffee substitute. This practice spread by French
colonialists over to America and chicory is still popularly used in Louisiana.
Today
hybridized forms of chicory have been introduced into the home garden to suit
an assortment of needs. The three main
garden uses today are salad greens, a coffee alternative and witloof
endive. ‘Radicchio’, a salad green with
beautiful red-tinged leaves, is now successfully being grown year-round in
California. The bitter young leaves of
‘Italian Dandelion’ can be collected in the spring as a distinctive salad
green. ‘Brunswick’ and ‘Magdeburg’ are
two varieties of root crops that can be dried, roasted and ground as a coffee
substitute. Chicory root has been
widely promoted as a non-caffinated additive that can add a smooth rich flavor
to your coffee. Witloof, a subspecies
of ‘Magdeburg’ is transplanted in the fall and forced to blanch in the dark,
creating a succulent Belgian endive. It
is important with all of these varieties that they are not allowed to flower in
order to preserve their optimal flavor.
However,
wild chicory is a cherished wildflower that would be a great addition to your
home garden. This tall airy plant transpires in early summer, providing showy
blooms through the fall, opening early in the morning and vanishing by
mid-day. Welcoming to both birds and
bees, chicory is beneficial to wildlife gardens. Once established this is an easy plant to grow, being impartial
to soil types and relatively drought tolerant.
Traditionally, chicory has been considered an invasive weed, but has
since been taken off most lists due to its benefits of being a highly
nutritious foraging plant. At present
it’s recommended to keep this self-seeding perennial in a controlled planting bed. The easiest way to establish wild chicory is
to collect the light brown seeds in the fall and sow lightly in the spring when
the soil is about 70o F.
This method should give you about an 80% successful germination
rate. So next time you’re on your way
to work in the morning and you see the twinkling of little blue stars tucked
along the roadside, remember the wonderful legacy and how influential this
little weed has been.
Many
California gardens are amazing collections of plants from all over the world. Chicory is an example of a non-native plant
that is well adapted to our climate.