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[title size=”2″]Chicory[/title]

The chicory plant has many uses from its leaves to its root. Although it is a plant originally native to North Africa, Western Asia and Europe, chicory is now commonly found in North America and Australia where it has become naturalized. In the Ozark mountain region, chicory can be spotted throughout much of the year, from spring through fall. Typically overlooked because of its ubiquity, chicory is a plant that deserves to be recognized not only for its multiple uses but also for its longevity. It has been used for centuries for both nutritional and medicinal purposes. Chicory, whose edible flowers resemble dandelions, is easily identified. Each plant consists of a rigid stem and a single tough root that blooms into beautiful flowers, typically a bright periwinkle blue color, although they can also bloom white or pink. Their leaves are long andlance-shaped. Wild chicory leaves are edible and typically bitter, but they can also be cultivated into familiar greens such as radicchio, sugarloaf and endive. The root can be baked and ground to produce a coffee substitute, a trend that becomes more common during economic crises and in impoverished areas. The chicory plant is not only beautiful, but also functional, and should be relatively easy to spot for visitors on hikes through the Ozarks.

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Cichorium intybus

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