Other names
Sugarloaf chicory, Italian chicory
Botanical name
Cichorium intybus var. foliosum f. cylindricum
Family / Genus
Asteraceae / Cichorium
Plant category
Leaf Salad
Like radicchio and chicory, sugar loaf chicory descends from wild chicory, whose blue flowers line the roadsides in summer. The name is misleading when it comes to taste – it's actually quite bitter – and refers to the cone-like shape. It's a very healthy winter salad thanks to its bitter compounds, and you can harvest it well into November since it tolerates frost down to -7 degrees. The later you harvest it, the milder it gets. After the first frost, it's at its mildest.
Facts and figures
Light requirements
Sun / partial shade
Nutrient requirements
Medium feeder
Difficulty level
Easy
Culture (according to Gertrud Franck)
B - early, B - late
Culture (according to Sister C. Weinrich)
Companion crop
Growing period
75 days
Row spacing
30 cm
Plant spacing
30 cm
Growth height
40 - 70 cm
Sowing depth
1 cm
Germination temperature (minimum)
12 °C
Germination temperature (optimal)
20 - 25 °C
Germination type
Dark
Pre-growing period
30 days
Planting & harvest times of Sugar loaf chicory
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Direct sowing
Pre-grow
Transplant
Harvest
Direct sowing from Mid June to Late July. Transplant to bed from Mid June to Late July. Pre-grow about 30 days before transplanting, approximately between Mid May and Late June. After a growing period of 75 days, harvest can begin around Late August and continues until Late November.
Sow and plant Sugar loaf chicory
You can sow directly outdoors or plant out seedlings from the end of June. Place the seedlings or seeds about 3 cm deep with 30 cm spacing in both directions.
Location and soil
It prefers a good garden soil – humus-rich, loose and slightly moist. It thrives equally well in partial shade and full sun.
Good and bad companions of Sugar loaf chicory
Lamb's lettuce, carrots, fennel and tomatoes make good neighbours. Other chicory types and potatoes aren't ideal neighbours.
Good neighbours
Batavia lettuce
Lettuces and chicories go together in salad mixes such as Italian misticanza, sown and cut as a colourful cut-and-come-again salad.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Broccoli
Sugarloaf chicory grows well between the broccoli plants and tolerates their shade.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Bush bean
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
Butterhead lettuce
Lettuces and chicories go together in salad mixes such as Italian misticanza, sown and cut as a colourful cut-and-come-again salad.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Carrot
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Tradition agrees across several language regions
Celeriac
Once the early cabbage between the celeriac is harvested, sugar loaf chicory goes into the gaps. It grows there into autumn.
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich)
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Cucumber
Sugar loaf chicory tolerates the light shade between cucumbers grown up canes or trellises and keeps growing after the cucumbers are harvested.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Fennel
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Guidebooks, companion planting charts, tradition
Iceberg lettuce
Lettuces and chicories go together in salad mixes such as Italian misticanza, sown and cut as a colourful cut-and-come-again salad.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Lollo biando / Lollo rosso
Lettuces and chicories go together in salad mixes such as Italian misticanza, sown and cut as a colourful cut-and-come-again salad.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Maize
Sugar loaf chicory tolerates the dappled shade under sweet corn and keeps growing into winter after the corn is harvested.
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Specialist book, Derived from plant family or pathogen, pair not directly documented
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Oak leaf lettuce
Lettuces and chicories go together in salad mixes such as Italian misticanza, sown and cut as a colourful cut-and-come-again salad.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Onion
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Tradition agrees across several language regions
Pole bean
Sugar loaf chicory tolerates the light shade between pole beans. Planted between them in July, it keeps growing after the beans are harvested.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book, Guidebooks, companion planting charts, tradition
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Red cabbage
Sugarloaf chicory fits into the free rows next to red cabbage in summer and is harvested in autumn.
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich)
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Rocket
Rocket fits into salad mixes such as the Italian misticanza. It germinates first and is ready to cut early, the rest keeps growing.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Romaine lettuce
Lettuces and chicories go together in salad mixes such as Italian misticanza, sown and cut as a colourful cut-and-come-again salad.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Runner bean
Sugar loaf chicory tolerates the light shade between runner beans. Planted between them in July, it keeps growing after the beans are harvested.
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Savoy cabbage
Sugarloaf chicory fits into the free rows next to savoy cabbage in summer and is harvested in autumn.
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich)
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Strawberry
Young strawberry plants go into the row of sugar loaf chicory in late summer. Once the heads are harvested, the row belongs to the strawberries.
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich), Guidebooks, companion planting charts, tradition, Derived from plant family or pathogen, pair not directly documented
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Tomato
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Tradition agrees across several language regions
White cabbage
Sugarloaf chicory fits into the free rows next to white cabbage in summer and is harvested in autumn.
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich)
Reasons:
- Practical tip for this pair
Bad neighbours
Chamomile
Chamomile is related to lettuce and can pass on lettuce diseases such as mildew. Single plants at the edge of the bed are considered harmless.
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
We found conflicting sources. This is our current assessment.
Reasons:
- Shared pathogen, spreads through proximity
Chicory
Powdery mildew passes easily from sugar loaf chicory to chicory and back. Better plant them a little apart.
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
Reasons:
- Shared pathogen, spreads through proximity
Endive
Powdery mildew passes easily from endive to sugarloaf chicory and back. Even so, the two are often sown together in cut-and-come-again salad mixes.
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
We found conflicting sources. This is our current assessment.
Reasons:
- Shared pathogen, spreads through proximity
Predecessors and successors of Sugar loaf chicory
Chicory salads, artichokes and marigolds aren't good predecessors or successors. Spinach and legumes, on the other hand, work well.
Good predecessors
Broccoli
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Bush bean
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich)
Cauliflower
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Fennel
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Specialist book, Derived from plant family or pathogen, pair not directly documented
Onion
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Specialist book, Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich), Derived from plant family or pathogen, pair not directly documented
Pea
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book, Guidebooks, companion planting charts, tradition
Pointed cabbage
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Specialist book
Potato
Lasting effect: 1 year
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Specialist book, Long-standing companion planting practice (e.g. Gertrud Franck, Schwester C. Weinrich)
Reasons:
- Loosens soil, improves soil structure
Bad predecessors
Artichoke
Lettuce and globe artichokes belong to the daisy family and share fungi such as downy mildew and white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Batavia lettuce
Lettuces and chicories belong to the daisy family and share soil fungi such as white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Butterhead lettuce
Lettuces and chicories belong to the daisy family and share soil fungi such as white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Cardoon
Lettuce and cardoons belong to the daisy family and share fungi such as downy mildew and white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Chicory
Endive, radicchio, sugarloaf and chicory are all chicories and share soil diseases. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Self-incompatibility
Endive
Endive, radicchio, sugarloaf and chicory are all chicories and share soil diseases. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
Iceberg lettuce
Lettuces and chicories belong to the daisy family and share soil fungi such as white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Jerusalem artichoke
Jerusalem artichokes and lettuces belong to the daisy family and share soil fungi such as white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Lollo biando / Lollo rosso
Lettuces and chicories belong to the daisy family and share soil fungi such as white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Oak leaf lettuce
Lettuces and chicories belong to the daisy family and share soil fungi such as white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Radicchio
Endive, radicchio, sugarloaf and chicory are all chicories and share soil diseases. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Self-incompatibility
Romaine lettuce
Lettuces and chicories belong to the daisy family and share soil fungi such as white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Sugar loaf chicory
If chicories stand in the same place year after year, their soil diseases build up. Keep a three-year break.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Self-incompatibility
Sunflower
Sunflowers multiply white mould, which stays in the soil for years and makes sugarloaf chicory rot. Wait three years.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Bad successors
Artichoke
Lettuce and globe artichokes belong to the daisy family and share fungi such as downy mildew and white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Batavia lettuce
Lettuces and chicories belong to the daisy family and share soil fungi such as white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Butterhead lettuce
Lettuces and chicories belong to the daisy family and share soil fungi such as white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Cardoon
Lettuce and cardoons belong to the daisy family and share fungi such as downy mildew and white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Chamomile
Chamomile grows less well after other members of the daisy family. Best keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Specialist book
Reasons:
- Family rule
Chicory
Endive, radicchio, sugarloaf and chicory are all chicories and share soil diseases. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Self-incompatibility
Endive
Endive, radicchio, sugarloaf and chicory are all chicories and share soil diseases. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
Iceberg lettuce
Lettuces and chicories belong to the daisy family and share soil fungi such as white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Jerusalem artichoke
Jerusalem artichokes and lettuces belong to the daisy family and share soil fungi such as white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Lollo biando / Lollo rosso
Lettuces and chicories belong to the daisy family and share soil fungi such as white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Oak leaf lettuce
Lettuces and chicories belong to the daisy family and share soil fungi such as white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Pot marigold
When sowing a whole bed of pot marigolds, keep three years after other members of the daisy family. This does not apply to single plants among the vegetables.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: moderate
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Family rule
Radicchio
Endive, radicchio, sugarloaf and chicory are all chicories and share soil diseases. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Self-incompatibility
Romaine lettuce
Lettuces and chicories belong to the daisy family and share soil fungi such as white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Sugar loaf chicory
If chicories stand in the same place year after year, their soil diseases build up. Keep a three-year break.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute, Specialist book
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Self-incompatibility
Sunflower
Lettuces, chicories and sunflowers belong to the daisy family and share white mould. Keep three years between them.
Rotation break: 3 years
Evidence quality: good
Evidence: Advisory service, research institute
Reasons:
- Shared soil-borne pathogen
- Family rule
Care and fertilising
Before planting, enrich the soil with some well-rotted compost. During the growing phase, feed occasionally with an organic fertiliser or a plant liquid feed. Keep the area weed-free, especially in the beginning.
Diseases and pests
Susceptible to
Alternaria leaf spot of chicories
Bacterial leaf spot of lettuce
Bacterial soft rot
Cabbage moth
Cabbage whitefly
Currant-lettuce aphid
Cutworms
Green peach aphid
Grey mould
Lettuce anthracnose
Lettuce big vein
Lettuce downy mildew(low susceptibility)
Lettuce mosaic virus
Lettuce root aphid
Northern root-knot nematode
Onion thrips
Powdery mildew of the daisy family
Pythium root rot
Rhizoctonia
Slugs(low susceptibility)
Southern green stink bug
Tomato spotted wilt virus
Vegetable leaf miners
Violet root rot
White mould
Wireworm
Harvest and processing
After 8 to 12 weeks you can finally harvest the sugar loaf chicory. The longer you wait with the harvest – ideally until after the first frost – the milder the flavour becomes. You can eat it raw as a salad or pan-fried. You can also store it well in a cold, dark cellar. There it stays fresh for several weeks. If you leave the roots attached at harvest and bury them in moist sand in a cold cellar, the salad keeps well into the following spring.
Open the bed planner Try free for 7 days, web, iOS and Android