Cool-season produce

Radicchio

Cichorium intybus var. foliosum

Also known as Red chicory

A grocery-store chicory distinct from endive. Heading and color can be uneven in warm spells; harvest loose leaves if heads fail to form.

EdibleCool-season crop

Growing spaceVegetable bed

Climate fitUrban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b · Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b

Crop familyAsteraceae (daisy)

Life cycleAnnual crop

Phoenix planting windowOctober–December as a conservative cool-season trial.

How to plantDirect sow or transplant; choose a heading variety suited to mild winters.

Plant spacing10–12 in

FrostTolerates light frost once established; cover during a hard freeze.

Time to harvestVariety-dependent; follow the seed packet for head maturity

SuccessionTrial a few small plantings; timing is variety-dependent.

Special categoriesEDIBLE

Typical harvestCool winter and early spring leaves or heads.

Right plant, right place

Will Radicchio grow at your Arizona property?

A grocery-store chicory distinct from endive. Heading and color can be uneven in warm spells; harvest loose leaves if heads fail to form.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b.

Light

Full winter sun; give leafy crops afternoon protection during warm fall and spring weather.

Water

Keep the vegetable root zone evenly moist with regular irrigation; adjust to rain, soil, and temperature rather than using a fixed summer schedule.

Planting & stewardship

1
Prepare a fertile, well-drained bed and keep seed or transplants evenly moist through establishment.
2
Thin to the final spacing; crowding reduces harvest quality.
3
Watch for aphids and caterpillars and protect sensitive growth from a hard freeze.
4
Harvest before sustained spring heat causes bolting or poor quality.

Read the growing reference ↗ Planting dates can shift with cultivar, weather, and your yard’s microclimate.