Last year I was driving along I saw these blue flowers along the roadthat I never knew was chicory but after I found out that it was I picked a bunch of the seed heads let them dry out and I sprinkle them and I've been looking all year and sure enough there here and just want to confirm that this is chicory.. the second picture you could see it's got a split tap root.. the third Picture Tells Me they like it
Chicory?
- Thread starter Yarg
- Start date
j-bird
Moderator
Yes - as I understand it there are native types of chicory...... Obviously there are other "improved" varieties as well. I see every year as we transition into actual fall (late October early November) that the chicory here is wiped out by deer for some reason. I am actually planting a plot heavy on the chicory side in an effort to use that to my advantage. Chicory has a deep tap root and makes it more drought resistant and it loves nitrogen and thus why it is often grown in clover mixes as well. I can't say I have ever tried to collect my own seed, but it obviously can be done.
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
Yes it is. Chicory is not a native plant to the US. It was introduced from Eurasia, but has been naturalized here for many, many years. The primary use by pioneers was as a coffee substitute.
As you see, wild chicory will be browsed, but if you want to see some incredible browsing, plant some of the forage chicories that have been developed.
Believe it or not, wild chicory can become invasive in some places. I was talking to a farmer about this the other day. He said his cattle don't hardly eat it and he had some other complaints. However, I remember Dgallow talking a couple of years ago about how that chicory was coming into vogue with the cattle people and held in high regard. My guess is that cows would inhale the improved varieties, just like deer do.
As you see, wild chicory will be browsed, but if you want to see some incredible browsing, plant some of the forage chicories that have been developed.
Believe it or not, wild chicory can become invasive in some places. I was talking to a farmer about this the other day. He said his cattle don't hardly eat it and he had some other complaints. However, I remember Dgallow talking a couple of years ago about how that chicory was coming into vogue with the cattle people and held in high regard. My guess is that cows would inhale the improved varieties, just like deer do.
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
Do they browse the Birdsfoot Trefoil much? I added some to my mixes this year.
H20fwler
5 year old buck +
I've been planting birdsfoot trefoil for years, deer do browse it but not like they do brassicas or chicory or my white pines. Rabbits eat it and so do turkeys...bee's flat out love it.
If not mowed it gets taller like alfalfa and reseeds itself pretty well, usually takes a couple years to establish good.... just another link in the food chain.
I understand that bft maybe a little bit more difficult to establish. I sprinkled very little seed of each in the same areas... Not ideal spots..shady on the edge under the tree line. It's the top of my field very good sandy loam and well-drained..Which The Chicory likes but from my understanding and from where I seen Birdsfoot growing it goes either way.. out of the stone in the median where it's hot and dry and then able to tolerate poorly drained soil I think maybe even better than white clover.. all that being said I'm trying to identify some that must be coming up but I still can't find any. I did plant the rest of the chicory seed in a nice dry Sunny Spot and the rest of the Birdsfoot trefoil in a wet spot on the bottom of the field below a water hole that I dug out,so I look forward to seeing how well they come up next year..
Native Hunter
5 year old buck +
Good info. Based on your observations and others like it, I think I may use it on some banks in the future but not in plots.
On a side note about 1 mile from here there are some large hay Fields where every year the biggest bucks in the area show up with their heads down munching away and what do you know it's 50% Birdsfoot trefoil amongest the grasses and a little red clover mixed in so I am looking forward to get it established as I'm pretty confident they are utilizing it... collecting the seed is tedious so I going to buy some but there's several different varieties I'm going to research this year and also hope that Gly does not kill it as the area I want to put it in still needs some work
