Cornflower, Chicory, Curly Endive
- Sheri K
- Jul 17, 2021
- 2 min read
Oh what a lovely surprise!
I often let things go to seed for the benefit of the bees, birds and butterflies, or to collect seeds for the future. I've had luck with lettuces reemerging in the spring and this spring, I had something come up in the lettuce patch where I had sprinkled a Mesclun Mix the years before. Not sure if it was a weed or a reseeded plant, I let it go.
Stems quickly shot up, small white flower buds appeared but never seemed to open. This is how it looked for quite awhile, I was about to dig it out until one morning I came out and it was filled with beautiful cornflower blue flowers.
What in the world are these delightful flowers? The next day, the blue flowers were gone. The plant reverted back to the browning white buds. Interesting...
I didn't dig it up, curious as to what would happened next. A few days later, I witness a bush of stunning flowers, again.
Why was this plant hiding her charms?
Who is she?
Where did she come from?
And why does she hide?
The unique ruffled squared petals were the clue to identifying this mysterious plant from the dandelion family which goes by many names... Cichorium intybus
common chicory, cornflower, radicchio, Belgian, French curly or wild endive, blue daisy, blue dandelion, blue sailors, blue weed, bunk, coffeeweed, hendibeh, ragged sailors, succory, wild bachelor's buttons, witloof, and horseweed.
I love the folklore of plants...
In one legend telling of chicory's origin, a beautiful maiden refused the advances of the Sun and was turned into a chicory flower that had to stare at the Sun each day and always faded in the presence of its might. https://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/weedguide/single_weed.php?id=25
Well, that explains her coy behavior.
These elusive flowers decorate road sides across America. In fact they are considered an invasive species. But for centuries Chicory has been used to make coffee, used as dye, feed cattle, and enjoyed as a salad green.
So I will enjoy her beauty for the time being and cry when it's time to mitigate the invasion.
Your description of the chicory's transformation is captivating! It’s fascinating how plants can surprise us when we least expect it. The folklore adds an enchanting layer to its story. As someone who enjoys gardening, I've often found beauty in unexpected blooms too. Planning for a garden can be tricky, especially with reseeding plants like chicory; it’s helpful to learn about their behaviors so we can make better decisions. This article has inspired me to consider incorporating more diverse plants into my space for both beauty and ecological benefits. For anyone curious about creating unique garden aesthetics, AI Miniature Generator offers some great insights on miniature plant styles!