Endive
Cichorium endivia
Family: Asteraceae [Compositae]
What it is like
Cichorium endivia is a BIENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.3 m (1ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower in July. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 1
Where it is found
Rocks and sand by the sea.
S. Europe to E. Asia - India.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
Leaves - raw or cooked. Leaves of wild plants are very bitter but there are many named forms with only a slight bitterness. The leaves are quite large and often form a rosette like cabbages. They are very easy to harvest. Endive makes a very acceptable addition, in moderate quantities, to the salad bowl, though the leaves are too bitter for most tastes to be used as the main salad leaf. The leaves are often blanched (by excluding light from the growing plant) in order to reduce this bitterness, though this process also reduces the nutritional value of the plant.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The plant is used as a resolvent and cooling medicine, and in the treatment of bilious complaints. It has a similar but milder effect to chicory (Cichorium intybus) and so is a very beneficial tonic to the liver and digestive system. The root is demulcent and tonic. It has been used in the treatment of dyspepsia and fevers. The fruit (this probably means the seed) has been used in the treatment of fevers, headaches, bilious complaints and jaundice.
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Succeeds in any moderately fertile well-drained soil. Prefers a medium to light sandy or gravelly soil that is rich in humus. Prefers a sunny position but with light shade in the summer to prevent plants running to seed. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.3 to 8.3. Endive is often cultivated, especially in Europe, for its edible leaves, there are many named varieties. These varieties can be divided into two main types, the plain-leafed and the curly-leafed. Although more decorative, the curly-leafed forms are less suitable for late autumn/winter use because they are less hardy and their leaves tend to hold moisture and therefore encourage mildew and other disease problems. In Britain, the plants grow best in Cornwall. Through successional sowing, and careful selection of varieties, it is possible to obtain leaves all year round. The main season of availability is autumn to early winter, though this can be extended through the winter if the plants are given protection. A combination of low temperatures and short days causes the plants to flower.
Propagating it: Seed - sow in situ early to mid July for an autumn and winter crop and up to mid August for succession. Seedlings can be transplanted. Successional sowings can also be made from April onwards for a summer crop though these plants are liable to bolt in hot weather or if there is a cold snap in late spring.
Best place to grow:
Habit: Biennial
Hardiness:
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist