A perinnial field flower. The shoots are used
to produce an alternative for coffee. Also :
the young shots can be eaten (this is called:
Witloof)
Flowers
There are flowers during the whole summer.
The are blue, pink and white flowers on
slender stems. The Cichory is a good cutflower
with lovely blueish flowers.
Even in the middle of fall cichory will produce some flowers
At the start of the winter.
Cichory and insecticides
Cichory is very sensitiv for insecticides. This is
the reason why his plant dissapeared almost completely.
Cichory and cultivars
There are very many cultivars , most of them are vegetables,
like "Witloof" bor the best one: "Brussels lof".
Cichory on the roadsides
Cichory has started a come-back, it can be found more often
side of the road.
Inulin
Inulin can be found in the roots of many plants,
and has some interresings features. Inulin is used
to replace sugar, fat, and flour but contains very
calories in comparison with fat. It doesn't raise
bloodsugar making it a good addition in the diet
of diabetics. Last but not leat inulin is
synthesized into butyric acid an inhabitor of
tumor growth. Inulin is produced from the roots
of chopped cichory-roots , and extracted by
adding hot water. After evaporation the inulin
remains in almost pure form. Cichory contain 15%
inulin. These plants have inulin in there roots; cichory Jerusalem artichoke
dahlia
black salsify artichoke
The flower of Cichory is edible and closes itself in the midday
for reasons unknow. The stems are bluish.
