The wild chicory is a Eurasian-south European species of old introduction near the limits of its distributional range (it is the progenitor of the cultivated radish), present in all regions of Italy. It grows in more or less disturbed habitats, along the roads, in residential areas, on slopes, in uncultivated land, gardens, parks, on rather primitive soils, with optimum below the montane belt. The species is sporadic on the edge of the Sardinian temporary ponds, in contact with ruderal vegetation. The young leaves are edible, especially when cooked. The use of the roasted root as a coffee substitute was introduced by the Paduan physician and botanist Prospero Alpini in 1600 for therapeutic purposes; as a result, since 1690, the chicory was grown as a coffee substitute by the Dutch, hence the name 'Dutch coffee'. The genus name is perhaps of a distant Arab origin; the species name is derived from the Greek word 'intybos', used by Galen and Aetius to designate a plant similar to chicory. Flowering time: July to October.

Italian name(s): Cecora (Abruzzi), Cecora d'orte (Abruzzi), Cecora munacesca (Abruzzi), Ciconia (Sicilia), Ciconia di Chiana (Sicilia, Etna), Ciconia rizza (Sicilia), Cicorea (Toscana), Cicorella (Toscana), Cicoria (Sardegna), Cicoria (Toscana), Cicoria comune (Italia), Cicoria da orto (Toscana), Cicoria sarvaggiola (Campania, Napoli), Cicuniedda (Sicilia, Etna), Cicuoria (Sicilia), Costetti (Liguria, Savona), Craver (Piemonte), Erba fint' a prangiu (Sardegna, Iglesias), Gianchetti (Liguria, Savona), Gicoria (Sardegna), Gorgnal (Emilia-Romagna, Piacenza), Gorgnal salvadegh (Emilia-Romagna, Piacenza), Grugno amaro (Marche), Ladricc (Friuli), Lidricc (Friuli), Mazzocchi (Roma), Puntarelle (Lazio), Radecc (Emilia-Romagna, Modena), Radecc d' campagna (Emilia-Romagna, Romagna), Radecio (Veneto, Verona), Radecio de campo (Veneto, Verona), Radett (Emilia-Romagna, Reggio), Radicc (Emilia-Romagna, Reggio), Radicc (Lombardia, Valle Camonica), Radicc (Friuli), Radicchio (Toscana), Radicchio selvatico (Italia), Radiccia (Liguria, Savona), Radiccia sarvaega (Liguria, Genova), Radicciun (Liguria, Genova), Radicetta (Liguria, Savona), Radichio (Veneto, Treviso), Radichio bon (Veneto, Treviso), Radici amare (Toscana), Radici di campo (Toscana), Raghiccie (Piemonte), Redica (Liguria, Nizza), Redicc (Lombardia, Brescia), Ridicc (Friuli), Scalora (Sicilia, Catania), Scarola (Campania, Napoli), Scue (Piemonte, Alessandria), Siccoria sarvaja (Piemonte, Saluzzo), Sicoria (Lombardia, Como), Sicoria (Piemonte), Sicoria salvadega (Lombardia, Como), Sicorio (Piemonte, Val S. Martino), Talli de S. Pascale (Campania, Napoli), Zicoria (Emilia-Romagna, Modena), Zucoria (Lombardia, Como).