I'm in Upstate NY, and my whole life, my favorite flower has been chicory. I know it's a foreign weed that can be invasive in certain areas, but I don't get the impression that it's especially harmful where I am. It's common, but far from the most frequently encountered plant around; it mostly seems to stick to roadsides and lightly throughout hay fields.

Anyway, has anyone ever intentionally planted this flower in a garden? I think they're pretty enough to be used, considering that they're one of the handful of true blue flowers that survives up here, yet I never hear anything about it or see anything online where people have planted chicory purely for the flowers.

Which also makes me wonder whether there are any garden cultivars or varieties. It seems like this is a plant that could be bred into a really impressive garden specimen.

I'd love to hear other people's thoughts/input.

Thanks!