|
What's blooming in Bath, Highland
BY CHARLES GARRATT • STAFF WRITER
 | | The delightful blue flowers of chicory come up through gravel, in yards, along fences and along roads throughout the Highlands in late summer. The leaves are edible and the root has long been added to or substituted for coffee. (Recorder photo by Charles Garratt) |
|
HIGHLAND'S HIGHWAYS - Blue seems to be the flower color of late summer in the Highlands, perhaps a reflection of the coming of school and winter. Chicory is a common blue flower along most roads though it is often mowed while in bloom.
Chicory, Cichorium intybus, is an introduced plant now established in 48 states. In some states it is considered an invasive or noxious weed.
On the other hand, many people prize chicory for the slightly bitter leaves used in salads and the deep taproot that is roasted. The roasted root is used as a caffeine free coffee substitute or added to coffee, especially in the south.
Chicory is a harbinger of the end of summer to many people. The plants begin to bloom normally about mid-August in this area but can appear as early as late July. The leaves are frost tolerant and some will survive into winter. In colonial times, when the plant was introduced to this country, the leaves were valued as a winter green.
The deep tap root allows chicory to survive during periods of moderate drought and also to bring up nutrients in otherwise poor soil. The plant is valued by farmers for this reason, to help restore fields otherwise farmed out.
Chicory is also known as French endive and succory. A number of cultivars are available for the gardener. With some planning, fresh green leaves can be grown nearly year around. Some cultivars form small cabbage like heads before flowering. As with most green leafy plants, the leaves are less bitter if picked before the plant begins to flower.
In recent years researchers have begun testing chicory for use as a source of biomass for the production of alcohol. The large taproot is high in a starch that is easily converted. Other researchers are testing chicory for use in nutrient management of poultry waste. The plants are very efficient at removing excess nitrogen from the soil that can result from the spreading of poultry manure.
Queen Anne's lace, ironweed and a variety of sunflower like flowers are common even in the dry weather. Cardinal flower continues to produce brilliant red flowers along creeks and ponds.
| 
)