Chicory

Description

Common Chicory is also known as Blue Daisy, Blue Dandelion, Blue Sailors, Blue Weed, Bunk, Coffee Weed, Hendibeh, Horseweed, Ragged sailors, Succory, Wild Bachelors buttons and Wild Endive.

Many varieties are cultivated for fresh salad leaves, chicons (blanched buds), or roots (var. sativum), which are baked, ground, and used as a regular coffee substitute (though naturally caffeine free) and food additive. In the 21st century, inulin, an extract from chicory root, has been used in food manufacturing as a sweetener and source of dietary fiber. A blue dye has been obtained from the green leaves, Orange from the chicory roots. Chicory plant is a perennial plant and is widely cultivated for the food industry.

A wild plant, wild chicory has commonly purple but also blue flowers and is found natively throughout the UK.

Available to buy as chicory seeds, plugs, or potted plants.