When Does Chicory Bloom?

Chicory

• Chicory originated in the Mediterranean region and is closely related to the dandelion. It was brought to America in the 1700s and has spread as a wild plant into many parts of the U.S. In cultivation, it grows as an herbaceous perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. The plant is about 6 to 12 inches in height, with an equal spread, and produces a rosette of basal, irregularly-toothed green leaves that are 2 to 6 inches long.

Flowers

• The chicory plant has a blooming period that's especially long, often lasting four months. The first flowers usually open in early June and the plant continues producing flower buds through summer and most of September. Flowers are brightly colored and resemble daisies, with each blossom about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in width, about the size of a half-dollar coin. They appear in clusters at the ends of flower stems that can be 3 to 5 feet tall. Flowers open in the morning when the sun rises, but usually close later in the day, when temperature rises, to reopen the following morning. Flowers are followed by tiny seeds that are spread by wind.

Planting

• Chicory grows best in a spot that gets full sun, where flowering will be most profuse. You can start chicory indoors in sterile potting soil or soil-less mix in peat pots in late winter or early spring, keeping soil moist until seedlings appear. Chicory grows best in cool and humid weather, so setting seedlings into the garden as soon as spring frost is past provides the best results. Planting seedlings about 8 inches apart, with 18 inches between rows, gives the plants adequate space to spread and grow well. You can also grow chicory as a potted plant, either outdoors in a sunny spot or indoors in a bright, west- or south-facing window.

Culture

• Chicory is an exceptionally tolerant plant that grows in any type of garden soil, although it doesn't do well in wet, poorly drained spots where its deep taproot may rot. If your soil is rich in clay and stays soggy for long periods after rainfall, add some fine sand at planting to improve its drainage. The plant grows best when its soil is kept evenly moist and benefits from extra watering during dry spells. Chicory can be an invasive plant in parts of the U.S., but you can control its spread by planting it inside a barrier that extends below the soil line and helps contain its roots, and by picking flowers before the plant sets seed.