by Woodsbum

Here is yet another addition to my edible plants posts. Chicory is a flowering plant that has several edible uses.

This is a good picture of what chicory looks like. If you look closely at the flower petals you can see that their shape is quite distinctive.

The plant itself grows on long stems with multiple flowers blooming off that stem.

The leaves can actually be eaten raw no matter how old the plant is and younger plant roots can also be eaten raw. Older plants are best cooked with several changes of water while cooking. The roots can be split, dried and roasted to make a coffee substitute.

You will find chicory in disturbed ground anywhere from plants to foothills and even in higher elevation meadows.

One thing to note is that prolonged use of chicory may damage your retinas and cause sluggish digestion. Use it in moderation, but just know that chicory coffee is actually quite good.

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