I hadn't ever paid much attention to wildflowers until this year. The month of July seems to be prime blossoming time for many of the wildflowers that grow around where I live. Chicory is very common, and although considered a weed among most, is actually an incredibly useful plant.
Chicory, also sometimes referred to as blue sailors, is a perennial plant that grows between 2 to 4 feet tall, with a branching
leafy stem. It is sometimes mistaken for bachelor’s button but the most notable
difference is that chicory usually has 1 to 3 blooms in the axils of its upper leaves
whereas bachelor’s button is single at stem tips.
Roadsides and waste places are where you’re most likely to
find chicory. The plant was introduced to the United States from Eurasia and is
not considered a weed or pest plant in some areas.
So what can we do with our wild harvested chicory?
Eat It
Europeans consider chicory a salad green.
In Italy, fresh chicory leaves are sold as radicchio.
The French produce a green called whitloof chicory, Belgian
endive, or French endive by forcing the roots of a chicory plant to sprout
while being deprived of light.
Chicory roots can be eaten raw or can be boiled. The roots
can also be dried and ground, then used to flavor or season food.
Drink It
The roots of a chicory plant can be roasted and used as a
coffee substitute or additive.
Dye Your Yarn :)
Chicory can
be used as a dye for yarn or other fabrics. The flowers produce a yellow color
while the leaves produce blue dye.
References:
Wildflowers of Washington by C.P. Lyons, pg 167
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