Chicory or common chicory is a popular salad leafy vegetable. Two major types of common chicory are radicchio chicory and Belgian endive or Witloof chicory. Scientific name of common chicory is Cichorium intybus. There are three types of chicory. These are, Witloof Chicory, Radicchio Chicory, and Sugarloaf Chicory.

Witloof Chicory: Witloof Chicory or Belgian endive is also called “Forcing chicory”. They are grown for their tender blanched plump leafy heads (called ‘Chicons’) which are used in salads. Chicons are forced under protected environment. ‘Witloof de Brussels’ is one of the most famous forcing type of chicory.

Radicchio Chicory: Radicchio Chicory is a Red-leaf variety of chicory grown for their red-coloured salad leaves. Red chicory looks like red cabbage but leaves are thinner and slender than red cabbage foliage. Two famous varieties of radicchio are, ‘Indigo’ AGM and ‘Palla Rossa’ AGM. ‘Indigo’ AGM variety has dense heads with dark green outer leaves and red hearts. ‘Palla Rossa’ AGM variety has large heads with well-filled red hearts.

Sugarloaf Chicory: Sugarloaf chicory is grown for its lettuce-like salad leaves. ‘Pan di Zucchero’ AGM is a Sugar-loaf variety of chicory; these are large plants with dark green outer leaves and a well-blanched hearts. ‘Zuckerhut’ AGM is a Sugar-loaf variety with medium-sized plants with dark green outer leaves and fully developed, well-blanched hearts.

There is a lesser known variant of chicory called ‘Puntarelle.’ Its scientific name is Cichorium intybus var. foliosum. These chicory heads are elongated with dandelion-shaped leaves.

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