Ualda's Garden
Chicory
Species: Cicorium intybus.
April 2010 - I bought it because was looking quite prety.
A (red) hardy perennial with many bright blue flowers up the stem.
A deep-rooting plant that preferes a rich light soil in full sun. Ideal as well for tubs and pots but I put it by the south facing fences near the red perennial fennel and the two perennial artichokes, and the annual Red Orach.
Flowering time is from mid Summer to Autumn.
Heigh (appox): Up to 1.4m (5ft)
Culinary uses:
Young leaves add bite to salad.
Roots may be lifted and forced into leaf for Winter salads.
Roots may be boiled and eaten as vegetable, or rosted to make a coffee substitute.
Traditional medicinal uses:
Used as a digestive tonic, increse the flow of bile.
Has diuretic properties.
Has been used for gallstones, rheumatism and gout.
