Leaf Chicory Rosa Isontina

120-150 days plus forcing. Leaf Chicory Rosa Isontina (Cichirium intybus) is a radicchio variety from the foothills of the Dolomites, between Slovenia  and Italy. It is one of the most cherished chicories of the Friuli-Venizia Giulia. These chicories have been cultivated in these regions for a long time and have been known as the “Rose of Gorizia”. Seeds are planted in the summer and the plants grow through the cold frost until the outer leaves begin to die back then are dug up and brought inside to force in darkness resulting in a delicate rose-shaped leaves. The most common form is dark burgundy and come in lighter shades of purples and pinks. “Forcing” from October through December creates loose and elongated heads in light pink and cream, and “Forcing” in December through February produces deeper colored and a classic “rose” shaped head.

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