More Information
| Botanical Name |
Cichorium endivia |
| Seeds Per Pack |
100 |
| Life Cycle |
Biennial |
| Min. Time to Germinate |
10 Days |
| Max. Time to Germinate |
14 Days |
| Depth to Sow Seeds |
1/4 in. |
| When to Sow |
Indoors 4-6 weeks before last spring frost, Outdoors after all danger of spring frost is past |
| Growing Height |
Under 6 in. (15 cm) |
| Plant Spacing |
9-12 in. (22-30 cm) |
| Hardiness |
N/A |
| Sun Exposure |
Full Sun |
| Danger |
N/A |
| Soil pH Requirements |
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic), 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic), 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) |
| Days to Harvest |
90-100 |
| Propagation Methods |
From seed; direct sow after last frost, From seed; sow indoors before last frost |
| Seed Collecting |
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds |
An old variety dating back to the 1860s. Large, broad, dark-green outer leaves enclose round, 10-12" heads with creamy white hearts with a buttery texture. Broad-leaf endive varieties tend to be less bitter than the curly leaf endive varieties. Endive can be eaten like other greens either fresh as part of a green salad, or sauteed or chopped and added into soups and stews. Endive is a native to the East Indies and it has a long history of culture in Egypt and Greece where it is used as a salad herb.