Endive comes in two types, and the choice matters more than the variety: frisée for summer salads and Batavian, or escarole, for winter harvests. Endive is naturally bitter, which is why the pale centres are traditionally blanchedExcluding light from part of a growing plant, usually by earthing up, wrapping or covering, so it grows pale, tender and less bitter. Full definition →.
Quick answer
Pancalieri or Wallone, both frisée, for summer salad crops. Natacha, a Batavian, for a hardy crop into winter. Many gardens suit one of each, sown at different times.
Cold, bolting and a Scottish spring
Endive bolts in hot or dry weather, and young plants also run to seed if they sit below 5°C for too long. In a Scottish spring it's the cold that matters: in colder northern parts of the UK it may not be warm enough to plant out until early June, against late April further south. Seed also needs a soil temperature of at least 15°C to germinateA seed sprouting: breaking dormancy and putting out its first root and shoot, given the right warmth and moisture. Full definition →, so early crops are started indoors. For an early sowing, the variety that resists boltingA plant switching early into flowering and seed production, usually triggered by stress, after which leaves, roots or bulbs turn bitter or unusable. Full page → is the one to pick: Natacha. Check your own area on the Scottish frost dates page before planting out.
Endive is grown like lettuce: leaves can be picked in as little as a month, and mature heads take around three months. Winter crops need clochesA small, portable clear cover placed over an individual plant or short row to trap warmth and keep off wind, rain and pests. Full definition → or fleeceA lightweight, breathable fabric laid or draped over plants to trap a little warmth and keep off frost, wind and some flying pests. Full definition → to stand through a Scottish winter, and only the Batavian type is robust enough for that. The endive growing guide covers sowing, blanching and care.
| Variety | Type | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Pancalieri | Frisée | A classic, with finely serrated leaves |
| Wallone | Frisée | Large plants with finely cut leaves; good for cut-and-come-again |
| Natacha | Batavian (escarole) | Hardy and resistant to bolting |
| Glory | Frisée | A summer salad frisée |
| Bubikopf | Batavian (escarole) | Winter harvests |
Pancalieri, Wallone and Natacha hold the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGMThe RHS's Award of Garden Merit: a UK-wide trials award for reliable performance, not a Scotland-specific recommendation. Full definition →), a UK-wide award rather than a Scottish one. Glory and Bubikopf don't have it, but they are one more of each type worth trying.
Flavour and blanching
Flavour varies from fairly mild to quite bitter between varieties, so it's worth trying more than one and keeping the one you like. Bitterness is why endive is traditionally blanched, covered for a couple of weeks to pale and sweeten the centre, but some varieties are self-blanching and need little or none of that.
Frisée: Pancalieri and Wallone
Frisée forms a loose rosette of thin, frilly leaves, ideal for summer salads, and tends to cope better with hot weather. Pancalieri is the classic, with finely serrated leaves. Wallone makes large plants of finely cut leaves and suits cut-and-come-again picking of baby leaves. Glory is another frisée for summer salads.
Batavian: Natacha
Batavian types, also called escarole, have large, flat, broad leaves. They're more robust, which makes them very useful for winter harvesting. Natacha is hardy and resistant to bolting, which makes it the safer Batavian for both an early sowing and an autumn and winter crop. Bubikopf is another escarole for winter harvests.
Which one for your situation
- A summer salad crop of whole heads: Pancalieri.
- Baby leaves, cut and come again: Wallone.
- An early sowing in a cold spring: Natacha, for its bolting resistance.
- A hardy crop for autumn and winter: Natacha, under cloches or fleece.
Blanching mature heads makes them milder, and a cover left over a head can attract slugs, so check under it.
Common questions
What is the difference between frisée and escarole?
Frisée has thin, frilly leaves and suits summer salads. Escarole, or Batavian, has large, flat, broad leaves and is more robust, so it suits winter harvesting.
Do I need to blanch endive?
Not always. The leaves are bitter, so they are traditionally blanched to make them milder and more tender, but flavour varies from fairly mild to quite bitter between varieties, and some are self-blanching.
Why has my endive bolted?
Young plants tend to bolt if they sit below 5°C for too long, and any endive can bolt in hot or dry weather. For an early sowing, Natacha is the bolt-resistant choice.
When is endive ready to pick?
Leaves can be picked in as little as a month, often more than once, and mature heads take around three months.
Sources
Show the source
- Endive: grow your own: The three AGM varieties, plus Glory and Bubikopf; frisée and Batavian types; flavour and self-blanching varieties; bolting below 5°C and in heat or drought; later planting out in colder northern areas; harvest times; seed needs at least 15°C