How to grow Endive & Escarole
Updated October 2026
Endive and escarole are two forms of the same cool season salad green, with a pleasantly bitter bite: curly endive has frilly, fringed leaves, while escarole has broad, smooth, milder leaves. They tolerate more heat than lettuce and a light frost once established. Blanching the centers before harvest makes them paler and milder.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Endive & Escarole
Not to be confused with: Belgian endive and radicchio are chicory, a different species in the same genus with tight, compact heads.
Where to plant
Endive and escarole grow best at about 60 to 65°F (16 to 18°C), in full sun and well drained soil that holds moisture. They are more heat tolerant than lettuce, and escarole takes a mild frost once established. Both may bolt in cool weather with short days, so time sowings for steady growth.
UF/IFAS gives Florida planting times of February to March and September in North Florida, August to February in Central Florida, and September to March in South Florida; the Gulf South, Texas, the desert and Southern California also grow them through the cool months. In the Mid-South and Mid-Atlantic, sow in late winter to spring and again in late summer. Across the North, the Midwest, the Mountain West and Alaska, sow in spring and again in midsummer for fall.
Choosing a variety
UF/IFAS recommends Green Curled Ruffec for curly endive and Batavian Broadleaf for escarole. Escarole leaves are broader, smoother and less bitter, and are good cooked as well as raw. Some varieties are described as self blanching.
How to plant
- Sow seed about a quarter inch (6 mm) deep directly in the bed, or start transplants, which move easily.
- Keep the soil moist until seedlings appear.
- Thin or plant out about 14 to 16 inches (35 to 40 cm) apart in rows about 18 inches (45 cm) apart.
- Sow small batches a few weeks apart for a steady supply.
Watering and feeding
Keep the soil evenly moist; drought and heat make the leaves tough and more bitter. Mulch to hold moisture and keep the lower leaves clean.
Work compost into the bed before planting.
Pruning and care through the year
- To blanch, NC State suggests pulling the outer leaves up over the head and tying them, or covering each plant with a container to exclude light, for a few weeks before harvest. Tie only when the leaves are dry, or the inner leaves can rot.
- UF/IFAS notes blanching for 2 to 3 weeks before harvest reduces bitterness.
- Space plants well and water at the base to reduce bottom rot.
Harvesting
Cut whole heads at the base when full sized, usually 60 to 100 days after sowing, or pick outer leaves as needed. Blanched hearts are pale and mild; outer leaves are more bitter and suit cooking.
Use endive in salads, or cook escarole as greens; UF/IFAS notes both are excellent in tossed salads or cooked.
Companion planting
Endive suits a cool season salad bed.
Good companions
Pests and diseases
Slugs and wet weather rots are the main problems.
Pests to watch for
- Slugs and snails Ragged holes in leaves and slime trails, especially inside tied heads.
- Aphids Clusters deep in the hearts and under leaves.
Diseases to watch for
- Downy mildew Yellow patches on top of the leaves with gray fuzz underneath in cool, wet weather.
- Bottom rot Rotting lower leaves and head base where leaves touch wet soil.
Common questions
What is the difference between endive and escarole?
They are the same species. Curly endive has narrow, frilly, more bitter leaves; escarole has broad, smooth, milder leaves.
How do I make endive less bitter?
Blanch it: for a few weeks before harvest, tie the outer leaves over the center when the leaves are dry, or cover each plant with a container to block the light.
When should I plant endive in Florida?
UF/IFAS gives February to March and September in North Florida, August to February in Central Florida, and September to March in South Florida.
Why did my endive bolt?
Endive and escarole can bolt in cool weather with short days, and stress from drought or heat makes it worse. Keep growth steady and sow in batches.
Is endive more heat tolerant than lettuce?
Yes. It handles warm weather better than lettuce, though it grows best at about 60 to 65°F.
Sources we checked: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Cichorium endivia; UF/IFAS EDIS VH021: Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide.
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