Chicory

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Call it an herb or call it a weed, Chicory (Cichorium intybus), a plant that Thomas Jefferson intentionally introduced into his garden, now grows uncontrolled across the United States.

Chicory's current claim finds its roots in the use of the plant's roots as a coffee substitute. Dried, cut and put in a cup of boiling water, the root produces a caffeine free coffee-like beverage.

Young leaves are also edible and have a history of use as a salad ingredient as well as cattle feed.

The plant's blue multi-petal blooms place it squarely in the daisy family (Asteraceae).

Organic removal of unwanted chicory plants means removing roots in their entirety.

© 2008 Patricia A. Michaels