chicory

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• chicory
• blue sailors
• wild chicory
• wild succory
• Belgium endive
• French endive
• coffee chicory
• succory
• Blowball
• blue dandelion
• blue weed
• bunk
• chickory
• common chicory
• wild chickory

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Asterales. Finally, it is a member of the family Asteraceae and is situated within the genus Cichorium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad presence across various regions of Northern Europe. It can be found growing naturally within the borders of Denmark. Furthermore, its distribution extends to the northern reaches of Finland and Norway. The species is also well-established throughout the landscapes of Great Britain. Finally, it maintains a consistent presence across the island of Ireland.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cichorium intybus is characterized by a broad adaptability to diverse altitudinal gradients, ranging from sea level at 0 m AMSL to high-altitude environments reaching a maximum of 3500 m AMSL. It is most frequently found occupying lowland habitats, where it thrives in open, disturbed areas, roadsides, and cultivated fields. This wide elevational range allows the species to colonize a variety of climatic zones, provided the substrate and light availability meet its requirements for growth and reproduction.

Elevational range max:

3500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Lowland

Life history

The life history of Cichorium intybus is characterized by its classification as a perennial plant, though its growth cycle can exhibit variable behavior depending on environmental conditions. As a hemicryptophyte, the plant protects its perenn Perennating buds at the soil surface, a structural trait that supports its long-term survival through seasonal changes. Furthermore, the species is deciduous, shedding its foliage as part of its natural phenological cycle to manage resources and survive unfavorable periods.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Cichorium intybus is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It is a terrestrial, independent plant that does not function as a parasite or an epiphyte, maintaining a self-supporting structure rather than acting as a climber, liana, or vine. The plant exhibits significant variation in stature, with a minimum height of 0.15 m, a mean height of approximately 0.68375 m, and a maximum potential height reaching up to 11.5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

11.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.68375 m

Plant height min:

0.15 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cichorium intybus is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, indicating a carbon fixation process typical of many temperate herbaceous plants. It is a non-carnivorous species, relying on traditional autotrophic nutrient acquisition through soil and sunlight rather than capturing prey. The leaf morphology demonstrates significant variability, with mean leaf lengths of 24.5 cm (ranging from a minimum of 7 cm to a maximum of 34 cm) and mean widths of 3 cm (ranging from 1 cm to a maximum of 12 cm), resulting in a mean leaf size of 175.37 cm². Furthermore, the plant exhibits a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 264.3 cm²/g, reflecting its leaf mass per area and its strategy for optimizing light interception and resource allocation.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

34 cm

Leaf length mean:

24.5 cm

Leaf length min:

7 cm

Leaf size mean:

175.37 cm²

Leaf width max:

12 cm

Leaf width mean:

3 cm

Leaf width min:

1 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

264.3 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cichorium intybus is primarily sexual, characterized by bisexual flowers that facilitate the plant's reproductive cycle. The flowering period typically occurs between July and August. Pollination is a biotic process driven by insects, specifically utilizing bees as a primary pollination syndrome. While the plant is capable of self-fertilization, it relies on these insect vectors to ensure genetic diversity. The resulting fruit is an indehiscent achene, with fruit lengths ranging from a minimum of 2.5 cm to a maximum of 5 cm. A single fruit is highly prolific, containing more than 1,000 seeds. These seeds are small, maintaining a consistent length of 2.7 mm, with a mean mass of approximately 0.003667 g (ranging from a minimum of 0.00074 g to a maximum of 0.04421 g). For dispersal, the plant employs an anemochorous syndrome, meaning the seeds are dispersed by the wind. Notably, asexual reproduction is absent in this species.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit length max:

5 cm

Fruit length min:

2.5 cm

Fruit type :

achene

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length mean:

2.7 mm

Seed mass max:

0.04421 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00366666675 g

Seed mass min:

0.00074 g

Seeds_per_fruit :

>1000

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Cichorium intybus has 3 reported plant parts identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, seed, leaf.

Root

1. Ancient science of life
2. Molecular biology research communications
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Daru : journal of Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences
5. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Seed

1. Journal of natural products
2. Anti-inflammatory & anti-allergy agents in medicinal chemistry
3. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Leaf

1. Biological trace element research
2. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine

Chemicals

Cichorium intybus has 180 reported phytochemicals identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include INULIN, CHLOROGENIC ACID, Cichoric Acid, Flavonoids, Esculetin.

INULIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Molecular biology research communications
5. Primary care diabetes

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Bioinformation
4. Chinese herbal medicines
5. Nutrients

Cichoric Acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chinese herbal medicines
3. Journal of molecular modeling
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Flavonoids

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Metabolites
3. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology
4. Nutrients

Esculetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Anti-inflammatory & anti-allergy agents in medicinal chemistry
3. Chinese herbal medicines

Lactucin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food chemistry
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

caffeic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chinese herbal medicines
3. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. Journal of natural products

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Orvosi hetilap

COPPER

1. Dr. Duke
2. Orvosi hetilap

Activities

Cichorium intybus has 684 reported activities identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Hepatoprotective, Hypoglycemic, Antidiabetic, Hypolipidemic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Dentistry journal
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Anti-inflammatory & anti-allergy agents in medicinal chemistry
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in pharmacology
3. Anti-inflammatory & anti-allergy agents in medicinal chemistry
4. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Hypoglycemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Hypolipidemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antianxiety

1. Dr. Duke
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antidepressant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Antimicrobial

1. Dentistry journal
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Anxiolytic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Medicinal Uses

Cichorium intybus has 54 reported medicinal uses identified across 10 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include obesity, antidiabetic, diabetes mellitus, diarrhea, hypertension.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations