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Cichorium intybus

Common chicory

Habitus (CC BY-SA 3.0) Christian Fischer

Short Description

The common chicory is perennial and can reach a growth height of up to 1.5 m.

The lower leaves are generally deeply toothed and covered in rough hairs. The stem leaves are lance-shaped, can be slightly serrated and in some cases clasp the stem.

The plant is bushily branched with a hairy stem. It has a long taproot.

At first glance, the flower head can be mistaken for the flower itself. The pseudanthium (“false flower”) consists of numerous individual blue ray florets and can reach a diameter of up to 5 cm.

The fruits are small nutlets with a ring of short hairs.

Features

Common chicory

Cichorium intybus

  • light-blue flower

  • milky sap

Blätter (CC BY-SA 4.0) Alice Kracht

In the city

In an urban environment, chicory is often found on verges and is tolerant of trampling. It prefers nutrient-rich soils.

Fun Facts

  • Pollination is carried out by insects, mainly bees and hoverflies.

  • Cultivated forms of the common chicory include chicory (Belgian endive), sugarloaf, radicchio and root chicory.

  • It lives for several years and generally flowers and fruits annually (perennial plant).

  • There are also white- and pink-flowering varieties. However, they are much rarer.

  • The root of the cultivated form is used to make chicory coffee.

  • They flower from July to October.

  • Endangerment level Germany: not endangered
  • Usage:

    Common chicory is used as a bitter agent for digestive complaints.

  • Young leaves and flowers can be used in salads. Dried chicory leaves were formerly used as a tobacco substitute.

Blütenkörbchen (CC BY-SA 4.0) Alice Kracht

Sources

Habitus, Christian Fischer, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cichorium_Intybus.jpg

Blätter, Alice Kracht, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://offene-naturfuehrer.de/web/Datei:Cichorium_intybus_(4).JPG

Blütenkörbchen, Alice Kracht, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://offene-naturfuehrer.de/web/Datei:Cichorium_intybus_61.JPG

Page „Gemeine Wegwarte“. : Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Date of last revision: 29.06.2016, 20:21 UTC. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gemeine_Wegwarte&oldid=155737888 (Accessed: 05.08.2016).

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Schauer, T., Caspari, C. & Caspari, S. (2015) Der illustrierte BLV-Pflanzenführer für unterwegs. 1150 Blumen, Gräser, Bäume und Sträucher, München: BLV.

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Bundesamt für Naturschutz (n.d.) Artensteckbriefe, URL: http://floraweb.de/pflanzenarten/artenhome.xsql?suchnr=1550& (Accessed: 05.08.2016).