Italian dandelion seeds

Italian Dandelion Seeds

Type: Edible Green — Annual (chicory, not a true dandelion)
Botanical Name: Cichorium intybus ‘Garnet Stem’
Plant Type: Annual — Open-Pollinated, Heirloom
Days to Harvest: 35–55 days
Harvest: Under 25cm tall for mildest flavour
Sow: Spring or Late Summer (direct sow preferred)
Light: Full Sun
Uses: Salad green, cooked bitter green, Italian cooking

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Not a True Dandelion — A Chicory With Striking Garnet Stems

Italian Dandelion (Cichorium intybus ‘Garnet Stem’) is one of gardening’s common name confusions: despite the name, this plant is not a dandelion at all but a chicory — a close relative of radicchio, Belgian endive, and wild chicory. It earned the “dandelion” name from its deeply lobed, dandelion-shaped leaves, but botanically and culinarily it belongs firmly in the chicory family. The Garnet Stem variety is particularly striking in the garden: the deeply cut, bright green leaves emerge from vivid ruby-red stems that make it ornamentally valuable as well as edible. It’s a fast-maturing annual (35–55 days) grown primarily as a spring and fall salad and cooking green.

The flavour is pleasantly bitter — more approachable than mature wild chicory but with that characteristic complexity that makes bitter greens so useful in cooking. Young leaves harvested under 25cm tall are mild enough to use raw in salads; larger leaves are better sautéed in olive oil with garlic, braised, or added to soups where the bitterness softens into depth. It’s an excellent alternative to radicchio for gardeners who want the chicory flavour profile from seed in a single season. For true wild chicory and coffee chicory, see our related products: Wild Chicory Seeds.

🌍 Growing Zones & Climate Performance
🇨🇦 Canada: Annual across all zones. Direct sow in early spring for a spring crop, or in late summer (mid-July to August) for a superior fall crop — cooler temperatures reduce bitterness and produce more tender leaves. Tolerates light frost and continues producing well into fall. One of the best early spring greens for Canadian gardens.
🇺🇸 US: Annual in all zones. Best as a spring or fall crop in most regions; bolts quickly in summer heat. Fall crops in the South and Pacific Coast produce excellent quality through winter.
Best for: Kitchen gardens, spring and fall salad production, bitter greens enthusiasts, Italian-inspired cooking.

🌱 How to Grow Italian Dandelion

Direct sow seeds 6mm (¼ inch) deep in their permanent location — Italian Dandelion develops a taproot and transplants poorly. Germination takes 7–14 days at 10–20°C (50–68°F); it germinates well in cool soil, making it one of the first crops you can sow outdoors in spring. Thin seedlings to 15–20cm (6–8 inches) apart once established. Full sun produces the best growth and most upright habit; it tolerates partial shade but may become somewhat leggy.

Harvest when leaves are under 25cm tall for the mildest, most salad-suitable flavour. The garnet stem colour is most vivid in cool weather — spring and fall harvests will show stronger red colouring than summer crops. If the plant bolts in summer heat, cut it back to the base; in mild climates it will regrow. Succession sow every 3–4 weeks from early spring through early summer, then again in late July for fall harvests.

📋 Growing Quick Reference
Sow depth
6mm (¼ inch) — direct sow preferred
Germination
7–14 days at 10–20°C (50–68°F)
Spacing
15–20cm (6–8 inches)
Days to harvest
35–55 days
Harvest size
Under 25cm — mildest at this stage
Best season
Spring and fall — cooler temps = better flavour

🍽️ In the Kitchen

Young Italian Dandelion leaves make a bold salad green — use them in Italian-style salads with anchovy dressing, capers, and shaved pecorino. They’re excellent in a warm bacon and egg salad in the French bistro tradition. For cooked applications, wilting in olive oil with garlic and chilli flakes is the classic Italian preparation (this technique works with any bitter green). Larger, more mature leaves can be added to soups, ribollita, or bean stews where their bitterness adds complexity. The garnet stems retain some colour when cooked, adding visual interest to the finished dish.

For the full growing method, see our how to grow chicory guide, and browse the rest of our chicory seeds.

❓ Italian Dandelion FAQ
Is Italian Dandelion really a dandelion?
No — it’s a chicory (Cichorium intybus), the same species as radicchio, Belgian endive, and wild chicory. The name comes from its deeply lobed, dandelion-shaped leaves, not from its botanical classification. True dandelions are Taraxacum species. Both are edible and share the pleasantly bitter character, but they’re unrelated plants from different families.
How bitter is it? Can I eat it raw?
Young leaves harvested under 25cm are pleasantly bitter — comparable to mild radicchio — and quite usable raw in salads, especially with a bold, acidic dressing. Older leaves, or leaves harvested in warm weather, are more intensely bitter and better suited to cooking. Cold weather (spring and fall) consistently produces milder leaves than warm-season growth.
Will the stems stay red when cooked?
Partially — the garnet colour comes from anthocyanins, which fade somewhat with heat and in acidic conditions. Quick cooking methods (brief sauté, blanching) preserve more colour than long slow cooking. The colour is most intense raw and in cool-weather crops; expect some colour fading in hot dishes but the visual effect remains attractive.
Is it a perennial or annual?
Annual in most gardens — grown as a fast-maturing cool-season crop and resown each year. Like all chicories it is technically a biennial, flowering in its second year, but in practice it’s grown as an annual for leaf production. In mild climates (Zone 6+) plants sometimes overwinter and resume growth in spring before bolting, but most gardeners treat it as an annual and resow for reliability.
🌿 The Bitter Green With the Beautiful Red Stems
Italian Dandelion Seeds on Amazon — Garnet Stem chicory, 35–55 days, spring and fall salad green. Ships to Canada and the US.
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Seed Quantity

500 seeds, 2,300 seeds, 7,200 seeds

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