Whats really in some spring mix

Status
Not open for further replies.

tortoisenerd

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2008
Messages
3,957
Location (City and/or State)
Washington
I do not think Belgium endive and chicory are at all similar, but curly endive and chicory are. Belgium endive is like this http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=belgium+endive&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g1 curly endive is like this http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&sa=1&q=curly+endive&aq=f&oq=&aqi=&start=0

There is discussion as to whether curly endive and chicory are the same thing, as some stores use the names interchangeably. I think it varies by region and naming. I'm still confused on it too, but can point out the Belgian endive thing comfortably.

Belgium endive is not good to feed torts, but either curly endive or chicory is great. Curly endive also comes in spring mix often.
 

Crazy1

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
6,068
Location (City and/or State)
Inland Empire, CA
Ok here is the skinny on the Chicory & Endive thing. Hope this helps. :)

Cichorium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae (or aster family). The species are commonly known as chicory or endive – there are two cultivated (to promote or improve the growth of (a plant, crop, etc.). species, and four to six wild species.

Common chicory (Cichorium intybus) is a bushy perennial herb with blue or lavender flowers. It grows as a wild plant on roadsides in its native Europe, and in North America, where it has become naturalized. It is grown for its leaves, when it is known as leaf chicory, endive, radicchio, Belgian endive, French endive, or witloof.
Other varieties are grown for their roots, which are used as a coffee substitute.

True endive (Cichorium endivia) is a species grown and used as a salad green. It has a slightly bitter taste and has been attributed with herbal properties. Curly endive (Frisee) and the broad-leafed escarole are true endives. (in some stores both of these types are simply called endive).

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Cichorieae
Genus: Cichorium
Species
• Civhotium endivia - cultivated endive
• Cichorium pumilum - wild endive
• Cichorium intybus - common chicory

So to make it easy to remember:
cultivated endive is Curly Endive (Frisee) and Escarole
Common chicory is radicchio, Sugarloaf (looks sort of like cos lettuce or Romaine), Belgian endive (also called French endive or witloof) (not good for torts)

Kate, Curly endive(frizee), escarole, radicchio and sugarloaf are all fine for torts just keep in mind a varied diet is always best.
Curly endive, sometimes mistakenly called chicory, has lacy, green-rimmed and curly leaves, with a prickly texture and slightly bitter taste. Escarole has broad, slightly curved, pale green leaves with a milder flavor than curly endive.

Belgian endive, is also called french endive or witloof this is not good for tortoises.
 

Stazz

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
1,834
Location (City and/or State)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Eeeeeeek Im soooo sorry Tallula !!!! BAD mommy ! I should have researched pics !!! Ah mistake learnt ! Gosh ! I feel terrible :(
Thanks so much Robs, you prob saved T's life !!!
 

tortoisenerd

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2008
Messages
3,957
Location (City and/or State)
Washington
It's not that bad...just not good. No worries, just don't buy it again. I bought and fed it once too!
 

Crazy1

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
6,068
Location (City and/or State)
Inland Empire, CA
Stace, I really didn't save Tallulas life. Well maybe, if that is the only thing you were going to feed her :p J/K

Belgian Endive is grown underground and does not contain the chlorophyll of other endives. If it is allowed to grow naturally and not covered in dirt (or who knows what else) or kept in the dark it would be green and fine for them. It just doesn't have much nutritional value in it (he reason we don’t feed it came from Danny) :)
Poor nutritional value, minimal water content-doesn't sound like a very good tort food to me and it's more expensive than other endive around here anyway when you can find it.
 

Stazz

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
1,834
Location (City and/or State)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Well she did eat alot of it for a while as that was the only thing I found other than romain lettuce too. But now she is happy and eating properly with her organic mix :)
I bought her some of what the store calls curly endive, but I don't think it is...I'll have to take a pic of it and post it here. Its just that things are so confusing cos in Britain the call it endive, and the States its called Chicory, and the pics I saw of what i bought says escarole, so who the heck knows ! Why can't they just stick to one freaking name hahahaha. Will post asap :)
 

Crazy1

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
6,068
Location (City and/or State)
Inland Empire, CA
Ah, thats the catch it is all those things it is chicory, endive and escarole or curly endive. I know, so much confusion but at least we know it's not just us that is confused. Think of it this way Curly endive and escarole is leaf endive/chicory and can be easily used in your salads (so it looks more like lettuces). To me curly endive, not the baby stuff that they call Frizee looks like curly mustart sort of. You have to look very closely and even feel and smell the plants sometimes to make sure. I know that when I first started doing this my produce person thought I was out of my mind. After several weeks they finally came up to me and asked if they could help. We got into a good conversation about tortoises and he was very interested. The very next week I took in a list of good tort foods and now he orders some of them like dandelion and I always have escarole and curly endive (and it's even marked as such) in that one store. :)
 

Isa

Active Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 8, 2008
Messages
7,095
Location (City and/or State)
Montreal, QC, Canada
Stazz said:
Ok I found a pic online of what I bought....the website says its Curly endive/Escarole.....lol.
http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--33276/endive.asp

So I'm guessing this one is okay right? To feed with spring mix :p

Yes Stace, this one is ok, here we call it escarole. I do not know why but Hermy do not like it, he does not even want to touch it, picky Hermy :rolleyes: :D
 

Crazy1

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
6,068
Location (City and/or State)
Inland Empire, CA
Stace at the bottom of that page it shows curly endive what we call curly endive or frizee
and Batavian Endive or what we call escarole (which is the one I think you bought) (great call Isa). Both are fine. They have basically the same nutrient values. My Greeks especially like the lacey leaves of the curly endive when it is really small and lacy, they call it frizee here and it is often an ingrediant in spring mix. lol
But all my greeks love their endive and escarole or chicory-They don't care what you call it as long as they get some. Funny Hermy won't eat it. Ahhh see just how individual each tort can be.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New Posts

Top