Chicory

A classic sign of the latter half of summer is seeing the blue flowers on scraggly stalks that line fields and roadsides. This flower is absolutely everywhere, and it is also a great beginner-friendly forage.

Plant Profile:

Scientific Name: Cichorium intybus

Preferred Habitat: Open fields, roadsides, near railroads, most soil types, and in heavily disturbed areas.

Edible Parts: All (roots, and leaves are most common)

Distribution: All over north America, however it is most common in the Midwest, and along the west coast of the U.S.

Harvest Season: July-October (roots should be harvested later rather than earlier)

Key Identifiers: Scrubby dark green stems and foliage, bright pale blue/white/light purple flowers with petals arranged in ray florets about 1.5 inches across. Leaves resemble skeletal dandelion leaves and grow to around 8in long. The flowers are the best indicator.

Foraging Level: Beginner

Toxic Look-Alikes: None

Nutrition (per 1 cup of root):

• Calories: 32

• Fat: 0.1g

• Sodium: 22.5mg

• Carbohydrates: 7.9g

• Fiber: 0.7g

• Sugars: 3.9g

• Protein: 0.6g

• Potassium: 130mg

• Calcium: 18.4mg

• Phosphorus: 27.4mg

• Folate: 10.4mcg

This is a great perennial herb for beginner foragers to find and prepare on their own! It is very safe, is quite prolific, and is very easy to identify.

Important note: Try to avoid picking any wild plant that grows within 200ft of a main road as it can be contaminated by oil, brake dust, or grease. When foraging chicory, try to look for open meadows and un-sprayed fields rather than roadsides or agricultural sites.

Chicory is not considered invasive in most places, but it isn’t a North American plant. Originally it comes from Eurasia and has been consumed by humans and animals since ancient times. Records of chicory cultivation even go back to ancient Egypt!

Much like dandelion, chicory is a bitter herb that is related to lettuces and asters.

This bitter herb is often used as a coffee substitute and is sometimes added to gourmet coffee (in parts of Europe this is common) to add a deeper flavor. The root is roasted, blended, and brewed on its own or mixed with other herbs or coffee beans. If you want a caffeine or low-acid alternative, chicory may be your answer!

The leaves are used in salads, and the flowers for some medicinal benefits.

On top of the nutrient value, chicory is often prized for its health benefits which include: aiding in digestive health, lowering blood sugar (it contains natural inulin), potential anti-inflammatory, delaying and managing type 2 diabetes, potential anti-cancer properties, and more.

* It should be noted that if you are allergic to birch pollen, you might also be allergic to chicory so you should avoid taking it. Chicory allergies are rare, but they do occur.

I read recently that there is a specific cultivar that is grown in Europe that is used by FiberOne and General Mills in their products which I thought was interesting. The brand Teeccino also includes chicory in many of their coffee alternatives as well which I personally love. I’d recommend buying from them if you don’t want to forage/prepare it yourself!

Chicory also makes a good animal fodder. If you have livestock, this is a good source of protein and fiber in grazing animals.

Now you might be wondering, “How can I grow some chicory?” Well that depends. If you want something to use for salad greens, pick up a variety of endive or radicchio. Endive and radicchio (Italian chicory) are chicory that has been bred for larger leaves good for salads. They are also perennial greens which means you don’t have to plant them every year!

Endive/Radicchio Chicory Varieties:

• Batavian Full Heart (Endive, large curly green leaves much like lettuce)

• Frisée (Endive, light green, frilly leaves)

• De louvers (Endive, high producing notched leaves)

• Castelfranco (Radicchio, speckled large leaves, good for salads and Italian cooking)

• Bel Fiore (Radicchio, speckled red leaves, improved heading)

• Fiero (Beautiful red-tinted leaves good for salad greens)

• Perseo (Small red cabbage-like heads good for cooking)

• Belgian Endive (Endive, grown primarily for the large roots, good for coffees)

• Wild Chicory (The plant I’ve mostly written about today)

These varieties can be purchased at these vendors:

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Jonny’s Selected Seeds

Turtle Tree Seeds

Eden Brother’s Seeds

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