Latin Name: Cichorium intybus

Origin: Eurasia

Physical Description: it is a deep tap-rooted perennial herb that grows up to 2m  tall. It has green to reddish-brown hollow stems that are highly branched, nearly leafless and exude a milky sap when broken. Rosette leaves are oblong, 5 – 15 cm long and hairy. Upper leaves are smaller, alternate, stalkless, and clasping at the stem. Most leaves grow at the base of the plant, giving it a “skeleton-like” appearance. Flowers are daisy-like, periwinkle blue in colour (occasionally white or pink), and the petals are squared off and toothed along the edges.

Habitat: It can inhabit mesic to dry environments and is commonly found growing in fields, riparian areas, marshes, meadows, rocky slopes, waste areas, roadsides and other disturbed areas.

Impacts: It forms dense populations that out-compete native plants resulting in reduced biodiversity and available foliage for grazing livestock and wildlife. It can also result in bitter tasting milk from dairy cows that forage it.

Reproduction: It reproduces by seed, with a single plant producing up to 3000 seeds. Fruits are brown, ribbed, wedge-shaped and about 0.3 cm long. Each fruit contains one seed.

Mechanical: Mowing or cutting before seed maturation reduces the number of seeds produced, but does not remove existing populations. Small areas can be hand-pulled or dug, as long as the entire taproot is removed.

 Chemical: Several herbicides with the following active ingredients can control Chicory: Glyphosate, 2,4-D, Aminopyralid, Picloram, Dicamba, Clopyralid. For available products, contact your local agri-supply store. Prior to any herbicide application, read and follow the label instructions.

 Biological: None.