Chicory
Description:
A stiff stem bearing several
stalkless, showy, blue (sometimes pink or white) flower heads with
square-tipped, fringed rays.
Flowers:
Head to 1 1/2" wide,
of all rays; style 2-parted, surrounded by dark blue, fused anthers.
Those at base 3-6"
long, dandelion-like; those on stem much smaller, oblong to lanceolate,
clasping.
Fruit:
none
Height:
12-52".
Flowering:
June-October.
Habitat:
Fields, roadsides, and
waste places.
Comments:
Only a few flower heads
open at a time, each lasts only one day. While in some places this European
weed has proliferated to become a plant pest, it is also sought for its
food uses. The roots can be roasted and ground as a coffee substitute
or additive; a European form is cultivated for this purpose, and abroad.
Closely related to Chicory is the salad plant Endive (C.endivia).