Pollinator plant

Chicory

Cichorium intybus

Linked agroforestry plant data
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Common names

69 names · 42 languages
EnglishYour language
+11 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (41)
Dutch
French
+1 more nameShow fewer names
Afrikaans
Arabic
  • هندباء برية[5]
Belarusian
  • Цыкорыя звычайная[5]
Bulgarian
  • Синя жлъчка[5]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Croatian
Czech
  • čekanka obecná[5]
Danish
Estonian
  • harilik sigur[5]
Finnish
Galician
German
  • Gemeine Wegwarte[3][5]
  • Gewöhnliche Wegwarte[4]
Greek
  • Κιχώριον το ίντυβον[5]
  • Ραδίκι[5]
Hebrew
  • עולש תרבותי[5]
Hungarian
  • Mezei katáng[5]
  • mezei katángkóró[5]
Icelandic
  • Kaffifífill[5]
Italian
Japanese
  • キクニガナ[5]
  • 菊苦菜[5]
Kazakh
  • Кәдімгі шашырақты[5]
Korean
Latvian
  • Parastais cigoriņš[5]
Lithuanian
  • Paprastoji trūkažolė[5]
Norwegian
Ossetian
  • Куыдзыдзæхæра[5]
Polish
  • Cykoria podróżnik[5]
Portuguese
Romanian
Russian
  • Цикорий обыкновенный[5]
Serbian
  • Водопија[5]
  • Цикорија[5]
Slovak
  • čakanka obyčajná[5]
Slovenian
  • Navadni potrošnik[5]
Spanish
Swedish
Turkish
  • Beyaz hindiba[5]
  • hindiba[5]
  • Hindiba (Radika)[5]
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • yabani hindiba[5]
Ukrainian
  • Цикорій дикий[5]
Upper Sorbian
  • Wšědna změrniwka[5]
Welsh
Sources & name notes (5)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Cichorium intybus — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Chicory — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Cichorium intybus.
  • Blue Sailors — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Cichorium intybus.
  • Coffeeweed — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Cichorium intybus.
  • Common Chicory — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(4); heading: Common Name(s):; Cichorium intybus.
  • Cornflower — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(5); heading: Common Name(s):; Cichorium intybus.
  • Italian Dandelion — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(6); heading: Common Name(s):; Cichorium intybus.
  • Succory — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(7); heading: Common Name(s):; Cichorium intybus.
[2] Royal Horticultural Society — common names ↗

Names retained from the referenced botanical profile or table.

Source records
  • chicory — Page 3, column 1, row top 277 pt; common-name cell after Cichorium intybus.; Cichorium intybus.
[3] Cichorium intybus — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • chicory — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • wilde cichorei — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Chicorée sauvage — results[0].names[57]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Gemeine Wegwarte — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Blowball — results[0].names[56]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • blue dandelion — results[0].names[54]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • blue sailors — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • blue weed — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • bunk — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • chickory — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • common chicory — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • wild chickory — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • wild chicory — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Achicoria — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Chicorée amère — results[0].names[55]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Chicorée commune — results[0].names[58]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Chicorée intybe — results[0].names[59]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Cicoria comune — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • almeirão — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • chicória — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
[4] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Cichorium intybus ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Chicory (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 141079; taxon V857.
  • Achicoria (ES) — VernacularName.tsv, line 141078; taxon V857.
  • Gewöhnliche Wegwarte (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 141080; taxon V857.
[5] Cichorium intybus — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • chicory — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • wilde cichorei — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Chicorée sauvage — results[0].names[57]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Gemeine Wegwarte — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Blowball — results[0].names[56]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • blue dandelion — results[0].names[54]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • blue sailors — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • blue weed — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • bunk — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • chickory — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • common chicory — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • wild chickory — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • wild chicory — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Achicoria — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Chicorée amère — results[0].names[55]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Chicorée commune — results[0].names[58]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Chicorée intybe — results[0].names[59]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Cicoria comune — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • almeirão — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • chicória — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • sikuri — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • xicoira — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Цикорий обыкновенный — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Цыкорыя звычайная — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Cikorija — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Ysgellog — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • chicoria — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Kaffifífill — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Mezei katáng — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Wšědna změrniwka — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Куыдзыдзæхæра — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Cicoare — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Beyaz hindiba — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Цикорија — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • čekanka obecná — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Κιχώριον το ίντυβον — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Cikorie — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • harilik sigur — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • 菊苣 — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Paprastoji trūkažolė — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Кәдімгі шашырақты — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • sikori — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Синя жлъчка — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Cykoria podróżnik — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • עולש תרבותי — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Ραδίκι — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • هندباء برية — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • キクニガナ — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • cikoria — results[0].names[44]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • vägvårda — results[0].names[45]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Цикорій дикий — results[0].names[46]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Водопија — results[0].names[47]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • yabani hindiba — results[0].names[48]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Sigorei — results[0].names[49]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Navadni potrošnik — results[0].names[50]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • čakanka obyčajná — results[0].names[51]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Parastais cigoriņš — results[0].names[52]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • 菊苣 — results[0].names[53]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • mezei katángkóró — results[0].names[60]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Hindiba (Radika) — results[0].names[61]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • 菊苦菜 — results[0].names[62]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • hindiba — results[0].names[63]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • 치커리 — results[0].names[64]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
  • Cama-roja — results[0].names[65]; taxon id 52913; Cichorium intybus.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Cichorium intybus is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Asteraceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Mature height
0.91–1.22 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
0.46–0.61 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Erect

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Biennial; Perennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Rapid

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Foliage
Deciduous

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Moist; Occasionally Dry

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Autumn; Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: bees, butterflies.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Pollinator guidance
RHS includes Cichorium intybus in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.

RHS planting guidance. Choose accessible flowers with pollen and nectar; reduced-resource and double-flowered forms may be unsuitable.

Sources [3]
Native range
Europe to C. Asia and W. Himalaya, Macaronesia to N. Africa.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [4]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Medium suitability
Nectar value Medium
Pollen value Medium
Agroforestry database

Complete plant information

Open full plant profile

Structure

Vegetation layer
Herbaceous
Size
Small
Dimensions
1.50 m high × 0.50 m wide
Growth rate
Slow
Lifecycle
Perennial

Site conditions

USDA hardiness
3-7
Moisture
Moist
Soil
Sandy, Loamy, Clay
pH
Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Light
Sun

Uses

Edible parts
Leaves, Flowers, Root, Coffee
Functions
Biomass, Pollinator plant
Edibility
4 out of 5
Medicinal value
3 out of 5

Leaves: raw or cooked. The leaves of the plant are quite bitter, especially during flowering. To reduce the bitter taste, the leaves can be blanched by covering them lightly, for example, with a bucket. However, blanching causes the plant to lose vitamins and minerals. The blanched leaves are also known as endive and are often used in salads in winter, when they are less bitter. The leaves can also be cooked. Flowers: raw. The flowers have a bitter taste, but are a nice addition to salads. Root: cooked (like parsnip). The young cooked roots are a delicious vegetable and are said to be ideal for diabetics due to their high inulin content. Inulin can also serve as a sweetener for diabetics. The root contains a combination of three types of sugars: pentose, fructose, and dextrose. Roots can be used in herbal soups, sauces, and gravies, giving the dishes a rich, deep color. The roots can also be roasted and serve as a substitute for caffeine. Young roasted roots have a slightly bittersweet caramel flavor, while older roots over two years are more bitter.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Cichorium intybus — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 5236356; ID V857; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 5236356; ID V857; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Cichorium intybus — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Mature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleGrowth rateFoliageLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Horticultural Society RHS Plants for Pollinators — Wildflowers

    RHS planting guidance; applicable flower-form restrictions are retained. General recommendations do not measure local nectar or pollen production.

    Supports: Pollinator guidance
    Relevant sections
    • Pollinator guidance: Page 3, column 1, entry Cichorium intybus (top 277 pt)

    Source checked on .

  4. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Cichorium intybus — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 170711; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 1474730, 1474731, 1474734, 1474735, 1474736, 1474737, 1474738, 1474739, 1474740, 1474741, 1474742, 1474743, 1474744, 1474745, 1474746, 1474747, 1474748, 1474749, 1474750, 1474751, 1474752, 1474753, 1474754, 1474755, 1474756, 1474757, 1474758, 1474759, 1474760, 1474761, 1474762, 1474763, 1474764, 1474765, 1474766, 1474767, 1474768, 1474769, 1474771, 1474772, 1474774, 1474775, 1474803, 1474804, 1474805, 1474806, 1474807, 1474808, 1474809, 1474810, 1474811, 1474812, 1474813, 1474814, 1474815, 1474816, 1474817, 1474818, 1474837, 1474838

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.