Botteniga Tardivo Radicchio Plants for Sale

Botteniga Tardivo radicchio with burgundy leaves and white ribs

Botteniga Tardivo Radicchio (Cichorium intybus 'Botteniga Tardivo') Live Plant – Italian Winter Chicory

$4.50

Scientific name: Cichorium intybus 'Botteniga'

Elegant Italian Tardivo Radicchio for Cool-Season Harvests

Botteniga is a Treviso Tardivo-type radicchio, an Italian chicory prized for elongated burgundy-red leaves, crisp white ribs, and a refined bittersweet flavor. It can be harvested directly from the garden or used for traditional winter forcing to produce especially tender, curled leaves.

Seasonal color note: Young plants are green. Burgundy coloring and the characteristic white ribs become more pronounced as temperatures cool.

Why Grow Botteniga?

Long, elegant leaves with crisp white midribs
Pleasant bitterness suited to salads, grilling, roasting, and risotto
Performs best as a fall and early-winter crop
Suitable for traditional Tardivo-style forcing

Growing Conditions

Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Fertile, consistently moist, well-drained soil
Spacing: 10–12 inches apart
Planting season: Transplant after the hottest summer weather has passed
Best color and flavor: Develop during cool fall weather

Water consistently while plants establish. In colder areas, use frost cloth or another form of protection when a hard freeze is expected.

Optional Winter Forcing

For a traditional Tardivo-style crop, mature roots can be lifted after cold weather, trimmed, and regrown in a cool, dark, humid location. Forcing is optional; plants can also be harvested normally from the garden.

Harvest

Harvest when the center leaves have colored and reached a useful size. Cut the plant near soil level. Leaves can be eaten raw for a crisp bitter accent or cooked to mellow and sweeten their flavor.

What You’ll Receive

You will receive the number of well-rooted live plants selected above in 2.5-inch nursery pots. These options are scheduled for fall shipping from August through October. Plant size and fullness naturally vary.