Reverse Information: CHICORY (Cichorium intybus) - Uses: Salad. The white underground parts of the young leaves are a welcome addition to salads, as are the blossoms. Pot herb: Boil the aboveground parts for 5-10 minutes, in just enough water to cover. Gather leaves before the plant flowers as they soon become too bitter to use. Coffee: The roots make a fine coffee substitute when oven-roasted until dark brown and brittle, ground, and prepared like coffee; use roughly 1 tsp. per cup of water. Flowers: May-October. Habitat: Road edges, waste places; locally abundant.