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[R] Cichorium endivia L. (Asteraceae).
Fr: Endive; Ge: Winterendivie; Sp: Endibia; It: Indivia; Pt: Endivia.
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Biennial plant with long leaves and a taproot.
- The head (chicon) (*) , an "apple" of leaves obtained after forcing, is consumed raw or cooked.
- The principal European producers are France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
- It is sown in spring. Before the first frosts the plants are pulled up, the roots cut at their tips and the leaves at about 2 cm above the collar. The plants are then replanted in the dark in heated forcing houses, and covered with soil. The head of white, tightly bunched leaves, then develops.
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- Diseases: contamination often occurs in open fields. Forcing conditions favour the development of various rots (sclerotinia disease, phoma and bacterial diseases).
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- Principal European pests: The greatest damage occurs in open fields. The pygmy mangold beetle (Atomaria linearis), the turnip moth (Agrotis segetum) and the dark-sword grass moth (A. ipsilon) attack the roots.
The leaves are damaged by the black bean aphid (Aphis fabae), the field slug (Deroceras reticulatum), the silver y moth (Autographa gamma) and Napomyza cichorii Spencer (Dip., Agromyzidae).
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During forcing, leaf-mining flies are the most damaging. The common vole (Microtus arvalis) and the common wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) may also nibble at the roots and heads.

[R] Images

* Witloof chicory head (Minost C.)

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