Coffee substitutes: Chicory

    Common chicory (Cichorium intybus) is a bushy perennial herb with blue, lavender, or occasionally white flowers. It grows as a wild plant on roadsides in its native Europe, and in North America and Australia, where it has become naturalized. Common chicory is also known as blue sailors, succory, and coffeeweed. Chicory is also the common name in the US (and in France) for curly endive (Cichorium endivia). There is considerable confusion between Cichorium endivia and Cichorium intybus. 

    Chicory Varieties

    Puna (Grasslands Puna) – Puna is one of the most popular forage varieties. Puna was developed in New Zealand by AgResearch. It is currently being grown as far north as Alberta Canada and as far south as northern Mexico and central Florida, proving that it is more widely adapted than most other varieties. It is resistant to bolting, which leads to higher spring nutrient levels in the leaves. It is also improved for resistance to grazing pressure, which can be very important in small plots. It is also an excellent companion to clover.

    Forage Feast – A variety from France improved for human consumption. It is widely available and is also used for wildlife plots. It is very cold hardy and similar in most attributes to Puna; however, because of its selectivity for the food industry, it is lower in tannins than Puna.

    Choice – Improved from the Puna variety by Dr. Bill Rumball, Choice is bred for higher winter (early spring) activity. Choice was bred for lower rates of lactucin and lactone for the dairy industry, compounds believed to taint the milk. This is a variety found in Pennington’s Rackmaster blends for seeding deer wildlife plots.

    Oasis – AMPAC’s licensed, AgResearch-improved Puna variety. Bred for increased lactone rates for the forage industry. It is believed that lactones give chicory its anti-parasitic attributes, but in the dairy industry it is frowned upon. Oasis is also bred for higher resistance to fungal diseases like sclerotinia.

    Puna II – Considered more winter active than most other varieties, which leads to greater persistence and longevity. This variety is in most Pennington blends.

    Grouse – A New Zealand variety considered a better companion for planting with forage brassicas. Relative to some other varieties, it is more prone to early flowering and has higher crowns susceptible to overbrowsing.

    Six Point – This is a variety produced in the United States and is very similar to Puna.

    There are many other named varieties of Chicory and more research development is being done.