Chicory
Chicory is a flowering plant in genus Chicorium in Family Asteraceae. There are two important species in genus Chicorium.Chicory is a perennial herb (Cichorium intybus) with flowers that are usually blue. It is originally from the Old World and was naturalized in North America, where it is seen as a rank, roadside weed. At times, its roots have been used as a substitute for coffee. It is also used as a flavoring in coffee.
Endive is Chicorium endivia. Endive is a popular salad green, having a slightly bitter taste. It has also been attributed with herbal properties. Endive is a leafy salad vegetable and is often confused with chicory.
There are three principal types of endive: Belgian endive, curly endive and escarole:
- Belgian endive (also known as French endive or witloof) has a small head of cream-coloured bitter leaves. It is grown in complete darkness to avoid the leaves turning green.
- Curly endive (sometimes mistakenly called chicory in the United States) has green rimmed curly outer leaves.
- Escarole has broad, pale green leaves and is less bitter than the other varieties.