Chicory

Chicory begins as a basal rosette resembling dandelion, with lance-shaped leaves three to ten inches long that range from coarsely toothed to deeply lobed; unlike dandelion, the lobes are not consistently paired and generally point away from the rosette, and the foliage and stems exude a milky sap. As it bolts, chicory sends up tough, rigid, sparingly leafy flowering stems that can reach two to three feet, branching stiffly. The most distinctive feature is the flower: sky-blue (occasionally pink or white) heads up to about an inch and a half across with squared, fringe-tipped strap-shaped petals, opening along the upper stems from summer into fall. The plant grows from a large, fleshy, branched taproot.

Chicory disrupts a uniform stand with coarse basal rosettes that shade and crowd turfgrass and with stiff, woody flowering stalks that shoot well above mowing height, giving the lawn a ragged, unkempt appearance. The wiry stems resist mowing and persist as tough stubble, and where rosettes are removed or die back they leave open gaps that invite further weed encroachment.

Chicory is a perennial in the aster family that reproduces by seed and regenerates each year from its stout, deep taproot. Plants overwinter as a rosette and crown, bolt and flower from roughly June through October, and set seed that establishes new plants in open ground. The deep taproot stores carbohydrates, allowing the plant to persist and resprout from the crown season after season and making it tolerant of mowing and drought.

Chicory favors disturbed, compacted, droughty sites and is most aggressive in thin, low-maintenance turf, along roadsides, in waste areas, and on neglected ground in full sun. Its deep taproot lets it exploit dry, infertile soils where desirable grass struggles, so weak or sparse stands are most vulnerable. Once established it produces tall flowering stems that seed surrounding open areas; healthy, dense turf with good moisture and fertility largely excludes it.