Curly Endive Despa - Cichorium endivia

Cichorium endivia 'Despa' is an autumn and early winter variety with curly and crunchy leaves. It forms a beautiful tight rosette of green leaves with a yellow heart. It can be consumed raw in salads or cooked like spinach. Sow the seeds from May to August for a harvest 3 months later.

It belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is also known as endive chicory, narrow-leaved endive, or curly endive, without being a common endive in the usual sense. It comes from wild chicory, which is naturally found in meadows and along roadsides.

Curly endives have a rosette habit. They develop curly green leaves that are prettily cut. Some varieties need to be temporarily deprived of light to remove any bitterness, while others naturally blanch.

They are quite hardy, but are a little more sensitive to winter harshness than wild chicories. It is therefore advisable to provide protection such as a forcing net or tunnel, especially in colder regions.

In the garden, they thrive in moderately rich soil that is rather moist but well-drained.

The leaves are mainly consumed raw in salads, but can also be cooked in gratin, cream, or in béchamel sauce.

All chicories have detoxifying and mildly laxative properties.

Harvest: harvest as needed and as they grow.

Storage: they can be stored for a few days in a cool place after harvest.

Gardener's tip: regular hoeing and weeding are recommended. Mulching is advised in case of drought.

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