Chicory | Cicoria Catalogna

Grow crisp, tender, and beautifully deeply lobed leaves of Catalogna chicory (also widely known as Dandelion Chicory or Italian Dandelion) right in your home garden. Originating in Italy, this traditional heirloom vegetable is celebrated for its upright, dandelion-like foliage, thick crisp stems, and pleasantly bitter, complex flavor profile that adds gourmet flair to fresh salads and classic Mediterranean dishes.

High-yielding and remarkably resilient, Catalogna chicory produces vigorous rosettes of dark green serrated leaves that hold their quality through changing weather. Exceptionally cold-tolerant and adaptable, it thrives during the cool shoulder seasons across Canadian gardens, performing brilliantly in garden beds, raised boxes, and container displays.

Why Grow Catalogna Chicory?

• Classic Italian heirloom producing dense rosettes of deeply cut, dark green leaves
• Distinctive, mildly bitter, and earthy flavor prized in traditional Italian cooking
• Dual-purpose green—enjoy young leaves raw in salads or mature greens sautéed and braised
• Vigorous cut-and-come-again growth pattern for continuous harvesting throughout the season
• Outstanding cold hardiness for early spring and late autumn Canadian harvests
• Approximately 50–65 days to maturity
• Grows best in full sun to partial shade
• Open-pollinated heirloom variety
• Approximately 50-60 seeds per packet

How to Grow Catalogna Chicory from Seed

Direct sow chicory seeds outdoors in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked for a spring crop, or sow in mid-to-late summer (about 6–8 weeks before your first fall frost) for an exceptionally crisp autumn harvest.

Sow seeds approximately 6 mm (1/4 inch) deep and 2.5 cm (1 inch) apart in rows spaced 30–45 cm (12–18 inches) apart. When seedlings reach 5–7 cm (2–3 inches) tall, thin them to a final spacing of 20–25 cm (8–10 inches) apart to allow upright rosettes room to expand.

Choose a location in full sun to partial shade with fertile, moist, and well-draining soil enriched with compost. Water consistently to maintain steady growth, keep stems tender, and prevent premature bolting.

Harvest outer leaves individually when they reach 15–20 cm (6–8 inches) tall for continuous cut-and-come-again yields, or cut the entire head at soil level once mature.

Growing Chicory in Canada

Catalogna chicory is exceptionally well-suited to Canadian climates, thriving in the cool, crisp weather of spring and late fall across all growing zones. Cool temperatures mitigate the natural bitterness of the leaves, yielding an extraordinarily sweet and crisp green after early autumn frosts.

Succession planting every 2–3 weeks from early spring through midsummer ensures a continuous, high-quality supply of gourmet Italian greens for your kitchen straight through to freeze-up.

For detailed instructions covering seed starting, spacing, watering, fertilizing, harvesting, and pest management, read our  How To Grow Chicory in Canada | Complete Guide.

Catalogna Chicory Growing Information

Feature	Detail
Botanical Name	Cichorium intybus var. foliosum 'Catalogna'
Common Name	Chicory (Catalogna / Dandelion Chicory / Italian Dandelion)
Plant Type	Biennial grown as an annual leafy green crop
Sun Requirements	Full sun to partial shade
Days to Maturity	Approximately 50–65 days
Seed Count	Approximately 50-60 seeds
Pollination Type	Open-pollinated heirloom variety
Best Uses	Fresh salads, sautéing with garlic and olive oil, pasta dishes, soups, and Mediterranean cooking

Grow Your Own Catalogna Chicory

There is nothing quite like harvesting fresh, crisp heads of Italian chicory straight from your home garden plot. With its cold hardiness, continuous cut-and-come-again harvests, and sophisticated flavor, Catalogna chicory is a deeply satisfying and essential addition to your Canadian vegetable patch.

Sow your seeds this season and enjoy a fast, abundant harvest of gourmet Italian greens!