Palla Rossa Chicory Seeds (Cichorium intybus) Classic Italian radicchio with deep red heads and white veins. Crisp, bitter-sweet leaves for salads or grilling

Minimum: 50+ Seeds

🍷 Bold Color, Bittersweet Flavor • Heirloom Italian Variety • Salad & Grilling Star

Bring the taste of northern Italy straight to your garden with Palla Rossa Chicory, a striking variety of radicchio known for its dense, round heads, deep burgundy leaves, and crisp white veins. This cool-season crop delivers that signature bittersweet crunch beloved in gourmet salads, wood-fired dishes, and Mediterranean kitchens.

A member of the chicory family, Palla Rossa (Italian for "red ball") is a visual showstopper and a culinary powerhouse. It forms tight, cabbage-like heads packed with complex flavor that intensifies when grilled or roasted but also shines raw when sliced thin into salads.

Whether you're a chef, grower, or just a flavor enthusiast, this chicory brings elegance, color, and cool-season productivity to your beds and plates.

🌿 Why Grow Palla Rossa Chicory?

🍷 Beautiful Red-and-White Heads
Deep crimson leaves with prominent white midribs create picture-perfect rosettes.

🥬 Bittersweet Flavor
Deliciously complex—sharp and tangy raw, mellow and nutty when cooked.

🔥 Great for Grilling or Roasting
Caramelizes beautifully with olive oil and salt, making it a fall and winter favorite.

🌱 Cold-Hardy & Productive
Performs best in cooler weather—great for late summer sowing and fall harvests.

🧺 Gourmet Garden Appeal
A market garden favorite—fetches premium prices for looks and flavor.

🌿 How to Grow Palla Rossa Chicory

Botanical Name: Cichorium intybus
Plant Type: Biennial (grown as an annual for heads)
Days to Germination: 7–14 days
Days to Maturity: 75–85 days
Sunlight: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Fertile, well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline
Seed Depth: ¼ inch
Spacing: 8–10 inches
Row Spacing: 12–18 inches
Height at Maturity: 10–12 inches
USDA Zones: 3–10 (best grown in cool weather)

Start indoors or direct sow late summer for fall harvest. Heads form best when temperatures drop—ideal for fall and early winter gardening. Avoid summer heat, which can trigger bolting or loose heads.

🛠️ Growing Tips

• Water evenly to avoid bitterness becoming too intense.

• Cover with row cloth in fall for colder climates—can tolerate light frost.

• Thin young plants to allow full head formation.

• Harvest once heads are firm and fully colored—cut at base with a sharp knife.

🌎 Perfect For:

🥗 Gourmet Salad Gardens – Add complexity and crunch to fall greens
🔥 Fall & Winter Cooking – Grill, roast, or braise with balsamic and citrus
🧺 Market Stands – Eye-catching heirloom that attracts chefs and customers
🪴 Kitchen Garden Plots – Compact and easy to grow in beds or containers
🌿 Italian-Inspired Gardens – Grow alongside arugula, fennel, and basil for authentic flair

🌱 Fun Fact:
Radicchio was first cultivated in the Veneto region of Italy over 500 years ago. Its signature bitter flavor stimulates digestion—and in traditional herbal medicine, it's valued for liver support and detoxification.

🔒 Authentic Flavor, Garden Fresh

At Terra Mater Gardens, we’re passionate about heirloom excellence and bold, clean flavor. Our Palla Rossa Chicory Seeds are untreated, open-pollinated, and selected for color, head formation, and true Italian taste. Whether you're grilling it, slicing it, or serving it with olive oil and lemon—this chicory brings restaurant-quality to your backyard.