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	Chicory Chichorium intybus Family Compositae (Asteraceae)

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		Notable Features
	Leaves: Leaves long, slender and somewhat irregularly toothed*. They sprout out from several central, bare, strudy stems which produce flowers. Flowers: Light blue flowers approximately 1½ inches (4 centimeters) in diameter appear May through October and sprout, without petioles*, from a smooth and rigid stem. Each petal ends in a square, toothed tip. Size/ Shape: A flowering plant that grows up to 4 feet (1 meter) in height; found on roadsides and in waste places.

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		Location on Campus (click for map)
	On the edge of the Brandeis wetland behind the Farber library; also edging the Kalman science builing on the eastern side.

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		Uses
	Like dandelions, the white taproot of the chickory plant can be collected to make coffee. The roots should be baked in an oven until dark brown and brittle, then ground a brewed like regular coffe grounds. Use 1½ teaspoons of chickory per cup water. The young leaves can be eaten as a cooked green once boiled for 5 to 10 minutes, or used as an addition to salad. NOTE: Make sure to collect the greens early in the season, for soon they will become too bitter.

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	Except where specifically noted, all text, photographs, and drawings copyright Chris Bersbach and Lisa Leombruni 2002. No part of this page may be reproduced without the express permission of the authors.