Perennials > Cichorium > Cichorium intybus > Cichorium intybus
Cichorium intybus
Chicory
Origin: Native to Europe, western Asia and northern Africa.
| Family |
| Asteraceae |
| Genus |
| Cichorium |
| Species |
| intybus |
| Category |
| Perennials |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 3 - 8 |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H7 |
| Height |
| 60 - 120 cm |
| Spread |
| 45 - 60 cm |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| Landscape |
| Ornamental use or in naturalization projects. |
| Cultivation |
| Moist, well-drained, neutral to alkaline soils. Drought tolerant. |
| Shape |
| Erect. |
| Pests |
| Watch for snails, slugs and cutworms. |
| Habitat |
| Fields, pastures, waste areas and roadsides. |
| Leaf Description |
| Lower lance-shaped, dandelion-like, basal leaves. 7 - 15 cm long and are variously toothed, cut or lobed. Upper stem leaves are smaller with clasping bases. Taproot exudes a milky sap when cut. |
| Flower Description |
| Stalkless flowers hug rigid stems. 2 rows of involucral bracts (inner are longer and erect, outer are shorter and spreading). |
| Colour Description |
| The flowers are a blue but occasionally white or pink. The leaves are green. |
| Texture Description |
| The leaves have a rough-hairy surface. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| Leaves and roots are edible. Flower is edible but is very bitter. |
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