Chicory, Italian Dandelion, Radicchio, Succory, Witloof

On Aug 12, 2016, Eravette from New Tripoli, PA wrote:

Here in eastern Pennsylvania, it grows everywhere. I'd say it is moderately invasive, but as others have said, it is pretty - if you get up in the morning. By noon or 1 p.m it closes up just like a morning glory, and opens new blossoms randomly along the stem. They don't make a good cut flower because they do bloom randomly all along the stem. The foliage is nothing special either, but the periwinkle blue flower heads are lovely. I would not put it in my garden, and I happily mow down the ones on my lawn, but I still have them wherever I can't reach the grass, along the road, etc. The nice thing about them is they are really tough, and if you do grow them, they're like echinacea, black-eyed susan, etc. needing no care at all. Like Topsy - they "just growed" there.

On Aug 8, 2010, CaptMicha from Brookeville, MD (Zone 7a) wrote:

Chicory has naturalized it's self here in Maryland, like it has in other parts of the United States. It hails from Eurasia but is a common sight alongside roads, ditches, and abandoned areas here. It also pops up in lawns, as it has down along my drive. It never spreads aggressively or really out-competes anything. I never find it in any flower beds.

Not a morning person, I don't get to see the flowers very often but when I happen to be awake during the morning, when this plant is blooming, I am impressed by it's startling blue flowers. The flowers soon fade by noon time unless the day is very overcast.

Foliage can be used as a vegetable or in salad and the root can be roasted and ground to be used as a coffee substitute or additive. In the frontier days, man... read morey people used chicory in place of coffee.

On Sep 10, 2008, Joan from Belfield, ND (Zone 4a) wrote:

The Cichorium intybus flowers are predominately blue or lavender, but occasionally there will be some white flowers.

On Jul 16, 2008, Trixtar from Muncie, IN wrote:

Good thing that I like Chicory, because it grows naturally all over my yard. I have never sown this plant, but anywhere that I do not run the lawn mower or weed-eater, I have more than enough of them. At first I thought they were some form of Lactuca and had considered chopping them down. I am glad that I didn't now, because the blue flowers really add some color to the landscape. It's lanky stems and Lactuca like foliage are not the most attractive sight, but the flowers make up for that. Seems to grow best in untilled high clay content soil around naturally occuring Lactucas, Mullein, and Sassafras.

On Aug 31, 2007, Edviinss from Liepaja,
Latvia wrote:

I found in nature Cichorium intybus with white flowers, much better than with blue flowers, really ornamental plant, long flowering period July to September.

On Jan 29, 2005, melody from Benton, KY (Zone 7a) wrote:

A cheerful little weed that grows along the roadways and in vacant lots. It seems to prefer the hard packed ground for some reason.

Flowers fade by noon, but they are so intense that they are worth keeping them around, despite their short lives.

I happen to like chicory flavored coffee. I didn't get a taste of it till my adult life and was introduced to it by a Cajun friend...I immediately became totally addicted.

On Mar 6, 2004, wnstarr from Puyallup, WA (Zone 5a) wrote:

Edgewood, Washington
One of the best blue flowers around. It grows as a weed here along side of the road and in vacant lots. Love the clear blue flowers and the wirey stems. Only admire it in the wild, can become a pest in the garden.

On Jan 11, 2004, deloit from Omaha, NE wrote:

I was not aware of this plant until I saw it growing wild on the edge of our local park. I like the blue color and have collected some seeds with hopes to try to start a plant or two. Any suggestions? BobM