Diohio's Garden
Chicory
Genus: Cichorium.
Species: Cichorium intybus.
A non-native perennial wildflower that appeared in my yard one year. We have lots of this plant along our highways and it always looks ragged and sometimes even ugly. But a close look at the blue flowers shows its real beauty.
This flower is also known as Blue Sailor or Ragged Sailor. Its few flowers open one at a time and last only one day. It's origionally from Europe, and was brought here to be cultivated for its long taproot, which can be roasted and ground as a coffee substitute or additive. Its edible leaves, like dandelion leaves, are high in vitamins and minerals, but taste quite bitter.
The one flower in my yard came up in the center of a pathway and when I tried to transplant it, I discovered that LONG taproot and was not able to move it.
