How To Grow And Harvest Puntarelle Chicory

If you love the sharp flavors of arugula and radicchio, you’ll adore puntarelle chicory. Also known as Catalogna chicory, puntarelle (Cichorium intybus) is a member of the chicory family popular in Italy. It is not commonly grown in North America, but if you enjoy growing chicory then its unique hearty greens are well worth your time. Read on to find out how to incorporate puntarelle into your home garden. 

Puntarelle has been selectively bred from wild chicory, and is related to endive and escarole as well as radicchio. Puntarelle chicory has serrated leaves, similar in appearance to dandelion foliage, that grow out from the base of the plant. These leaves are surrounded by long, hollow, light green or white shoots, which develop from inside the plant in winter.

Also referred to as asparagus chicory or Cichorium asparago, the leaves are edible but incredibly bitter. They’re best harvested while young or cooked to reduce their bitter flavor. The highlights of the plant are the hollow bolting stems and the crisp tender heart, with its unique flavor and a texture reminiscent of celery root. 

Puntarelle and other chicories are commonly grown in Europe. Why aren’t they more popular here? Well, for one thing, you need to force the chicory plants, rather like the pale Witloof chicory or Belgian endive. Also, this cool weather crop requires specific care. That said, knowing how to grow puntarelle successfully is relatively easy if you follow these essentials.  

You should plant puntarelle chicory in full sun. Give these plants at least six hours of exposure in cooler climates, and a few hours of partial shade per day in warm regions. 

Puntarelle chicory is a cool season crop. Extremes of temperature result in wilting or stunted