Blue Sailors, Cichorium Intybus

Day 296: "Blue Sailors" may well be a regional name for wild Chicory, but it is listed in field guides as such and the name is too appealing to discard. The root of this weedy plant and its domesticated cousins can be roasted and used as a coffee additive or substitute, although in the latter case, you'll definitely want to sweeten your brew. The flowers are a striking blue, pale in hue but intense, standing out strongly against almost any background.

Introduced from Europe, Cichorium intybus can be found throughout much of North America, growing in dry, disturbed soil. Weed or not, who can resist a Sailor's appeal?