Additional notes (click to expand)

Medicinal

Cichorium intybus L., Asteraceae. Chicory, succory. Distribution: Uses: 'Cichory, (or Succory as the vulgar call it) cools and strengthens the liver: so doth Endive' (Culpeper, 1650). The Cichorium sylvestre, Wilde Succorie, of Gerard (1633) and the leaves cooked into a soup for ill people. Linnaeus (1782) reported it was used for Melancholia, Hypochondria, Hectica [fever], haemorrhage and gout. Root contains 20% inulin, a sweetening agent. Dried, roasted and ground up the roots are used as a coffee substitute, best known as Camp coffee (Chicory and Coffee essence). This used to be sold in tall square section bottle with a label showing a circa 1885 army tent with a Sikh soldier standing and serving coffee to a seated officer from the Gordon Highlanders. The bottle on the label has now moved on, and since 2006 it shows the same tent but the Sikh and the Scot are now both seated, drinking Camp coffee together.
Oakeley, Dr. Henry F. (2013). Wellcome Library notes. link

Nomenclature

OTHER COMMON NAMES: BLUE SAILORS; BARBE DE CAPUCHIN; BLUE DANDELION; BUNK; COFFEE WEED; FRENCH ENDIVE; SUCCORY; WITLOOF; WHITLOOF.
The Royal Horticultural Society Horticultural Database, available at www.rhs.org.uk

Geographical distribution

  • Africa, Northern Africa, Tunisia
  • Asia-Temperate, Caucasus, Transcaucasus
  • Asia-Temperate, Middle Asia, Kazakhstan
  • Asia-Temperate, Middle Asia, Kyrgyzstan
  • Asia-Temperate, Middle Asia, Tadzhikistan
  • Asia-Temperate, Middle Asia, Turkmenistan
  • Asia-Temperate, Middle Asia, Uzbekistan
  • Asia-Temperate, Russian Far East
  • Asia-Temperate, Siberia
  • Asia-Temperate, Western Asia, Afghanistan
  • Asia-Temperate, Western Asia, Cyprus
  • Asia-Temperate, Western Asia, Iran
  • Asia-Temperate, Western Asia, Iraq
  • Asia-Temperate, Western Asia, Jordan
  • Asia-Temperate, Western Asia, Lebanon-Syria
  • Asia-Temperate, Western Asia, Turkey
  • Asia-Tropical, Indian Subcontinent, India
  • Asia-Tropical, Indian Subcontinent, Pakistan
  • Europe, Eastern Europe
  • Europe, Middle Europe
  • Europe, Northern Europe
  • Europe, Northern Europe, Great Britain
  • Europe, Southeastern Europe
  • Europe, Southwestern Europe

Cichorium intybus L.

Family: ASTERACEAE
Genus: Cichorium
Species: intybus L.
Common names: Chicory
Pharmacopoeia Londinensis name: Cichorium, Intybus
Distribution summary: N.Africa, W.Eurasia
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: H5 - Hardy; cold winter
Habitat: Grassy sites: meadows, pastures, roadsides
Garden status: Currently grown
Garden location: Pharmacopoeia Londinensis 1618 'Seeds & Grains' (HSE 7)
Flowering months: July, August, September, October
Reason for growing: Medicinal


Back to List