Do this two to three weeks before harvest and use blanched plants as soon as possible as they can go to seed quickly after the blanching process. This is done by placing a pot over the top of the plant or securing the leafy heads together with a rubber band or string to block the light from the center of the plant. Many growers blanch endive plants to produce lighter-colored, less bitter leaves. intybus species and are called Magdeburg or Brunswick. The best varieties to use for the coffee substitute are from the C. Roots are often dried and ground to make a chicory alternative to coffee. Endive seeds are small and light brown, enveloped in a little paper capsule, easy to collect, and will readily self-seed.Īlthough the leaves of all endive plants are the main edible part, all endives have a tap root of various sizes containing a milky liquid that can be slightly toxic when fresh. If plants are left to go to seed, they will produce a tall branching flower stalk with pale blue daisy-like flowers. The slightly tougher outer leaves are perfect for cooking like leafy greens or chopped and used in soups. The flavor is less bitter than other endives especially the lighter-colored inner leaves which can be used in salads in the same way as frisee. Red varieties of frisee are also available to grow and make a nice contrast in a salad bowl.Įscarole endive has broad smooth leaves and is a hardier cool-season plant. The darker the leaf the more bitter the flavor. Curly or frisee-type plants have narrow, deeply cut curly leaves that grow from a large central rosette of light green leaves to dark green at the edges. Common names include endive, escarole, frisee, curly endive, and endive lettuce.Įndive is believed to originate in Europe and Asia where it remains a popular vegetable today. It’s easy to see how this can be confusing. Belgian endive and radicchio are also part of the Cichorium genus but are not from the endivia species despite often being referred to as ‘endive’. The botanical name for endive is Cichorium endivia with two key varieties, escarole endive, C. If you ever let your endive plants flower you will understand why. You may be surprised to learn that endive comes from the daisy family, Asteraceae. Well draining, moisture-retentive, fertileīacterial fungal rot, bottom rot, downy mildewĪll About The Endive Plant A frisee style of endive plant has beautifully-shaped leaves. Source: John and Anni Common Name(s)Įndive, escarole, frisee, curly endive, and endive lettuce Quick Care Guide Curly-leaf endive plant varieties are a great choice. Good Products At Amazon For Growing Endive: Endive is mainly grown as a cold season or fall crop but the curly or frisee types grow well during the summer months giving you endive options across the whole year. Leaves can be used raw in salads and wilted or cooked in soups and stews. The slightly bitter flavor component naturally promotes digestive health and tells your stomach to prepare for food. So why grow endive? Well, firstly it is low in calories, packed full of vitamins and minerals especially vitamin K, folate, and manganese, and high in complex fibers helping you feel fuller for longer. Both are very easy to grow and delicious to eat! The main types of endive to be discussed here are Bativan or escarole, an upright variety with a large salad-like broad leaves, and curly endive also called frisee with wide rosettes of finely serrated leaves. Hopefully, this article will help explain the differences between the different types of endive and will give you some tips on how to grow the lettuce-type leaves you may recognize from supermarket salad bags. Several plants are referred to as ‘endive’ and some endive plants are mistaken for vegetables such as lettuce and other leafy greens, which have a milder flavor. The endive plant can be a little confusing.
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