Can a herb be a herb, spice, vegetable, or salad? No some might say. Well, don’t tell Chicory that as it as it has so many varieties that if it was a person it would be diagnosed with multiple personality orders I think. Which variety of chicory do you know?

Chicory is spelled in French, Chicorée. It’s a herb that is native to Europe. Most types originated in the Mediterranean area and have been used as a food source for centuries. It is often seen as a wild plant along the sides of roads throughout Europe. But it is also grown now around the world in the USA, China, and Australia as well as other countries.

Common chicory in the plant world is called Cichorium Intybus and is a woody, perennial herb that has usually bright blue flowers, but sometimes also has white or pink flowers. It’s a member of the Asteraceae family whose other members include sunflowers and daisies.

The herb variety when it’s flowering grows around 1.5 meters tall and isn’t the most attractive-looking plant as it has a tough, grooved, and hairy stem. In Europe, it will flower from March until October.