Leaf
Krzysztof Ziarnek, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Chicory
Cichorium intybus L.
Also known as: Wild chicory, Blue sailors
Family: Asteraceae
30 cm to 1.2 m tall
Wasteland, track verges, dry meadows; also grown as vegetable varieties (witloof chicory, coffee chicory)
Flowering: July – September
Full sun
Very hardy, the root easily survives winter
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
The pale blue flower heads generally open in the morning and close later in the day, especially in hot weather. It is the same species grown differently: wild chicory grows in full light with green, bitter leaves, whereas witloof chicory is the same plant forced in darkness to obtain its white, tightly packed heart.
🍃 Leaves
In a basal rosette, divided, somewhat rough; stem leaves smaller and entire
🌸 Flowers
Bright blue, ligulate, grouped in flower heads that open in the morning and close again in early afternoon
🍎 Fruits
Achene topped with a small crown of scales
🪵 Bark
Perennial herbaceous plant with an upright stem, branched in its upper part.
🗺️ Distribution
Very widespread throughout France
🐝 Value for pollinators
Flower heads very rich in nectar, among the blue flowers most visited by wild bees in summer
✂️ Horticultural uses
Parent plant of many cultivated vegetables (witloof chicory, curly endive, coffee chicory), also appreciated in wildflower meadows for pollinators
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Leaves edible, bitter; roasted root used as a coffee substitute
⚠️ Look-alike species
Chicory
Cichorium intybus
Witloof chicory
Cichorium intybus var. foliosum
It is the same species grown differently: wild chicory grows in full light with green, bitter leaves, whereas witloof chicory is the same plant forced in darkness to obtain its white, tightly packed heart.
🌿 Other Asteraceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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