Curlesi
Cichorium endivia
Wikimedia Commons
Strong tipburn and bolt tolerance with a self-blanching, upright growth habit. Most adaptable to spring/summer planting but suitable year-round. High-yielding and easy to harvest. Also available in organic seed or with NOP-compliant pelleting.
Harvest
52d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Zones
4–9
USDA hardiness
Height
10-24 inches
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Curlesi in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 lettuce →Zone Map
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Curlesi · Zones 4–9
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | — | — | May – June | June – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | April – June | June – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | — | — | April – May | May – November |
| Zone 7 | — | — | March – May | May – November |
| Zone 8 | — | — | March – April | April – December |
| Zone 9 | — | — | February – March | March – December |
| Zone 10 | — | — | January – March | March – December |
| Zone 1 | — | — | June – July | July – September |
| Zone 2 | — | — | May – July | July – September |
| Zone 11 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 12 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
| Zone 13 | — | — | January – February | February – December |
Succession Planting
Direct sow Curlesi every 14–18 days starting March 1, and keep going through late April. It turns bitter fast once daytime highs push past 80°F, so any sowing after early May is a gamble in most zone 7 climates. Pick back up in late August through September for a fall run — at 52 days to maturity, plants sown by mid-September finish well before hard frost, and the cooler nights actually pull some of the bitterness out of the outer leaves.
Complete Growing Guide
Strong tipburn and bolt tolerance with a self-blanching, upright growth habit. Most adaptable to spring/summer planting but suitable year-round. High-yielding and easy to harvest. Also available in organic seed or with NOP-compliant pelleting. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Curlesi is 52 days to maturity, annual, open pollinated.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day), Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil: Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 0 ft. 10 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 0 ft. 10 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: High. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Curlesi reaches harvest at 52 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.
The fruit is obovoid to cylindrical in shape and slightly ribbed.
Color: Brown/Copper, Cream/Tan. Type: Achene. Length: < 1 inch. Width: < 1 inch.
Harvest time: Summer
Edibility: Leaves are edible raw or cooked. Blue flowers are used raw in a salad, as a garnish or pickled.
Storage & Preservation
Harvest Curlesi at 52 days and refrigerate immediately in perforated plastic bags or breathable containers to maintain crisp texture. Store at 32–40°F with 95% humidity for optimal results. Fresh heads keep for 7–10 days under these conditions, though quality declines after the first week. Freezing works poorly due to high water content and resulting mushiness; instead, blanch briefly and freeze only if destined for soups or cooked dishes. Drying is more practical—slice thinly and air-dry in a warm, well-ventilated space, or use a low-temperature dehydrator set below 105°F to preserve delicate flavor. The curly fronds of Curlesi are particularly suited to fermenting; shred finely, salt lightly, and pack into jars with whey or brine for a tangy, probiotic preserve that keeps several months refrigerated.
History & Origin
Curlesi is open-pollinated, meaning seed saved from healthy plants will produce true-to-type offspring. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.
Origin: Eastern Mediterranean, India
Advantages
- +Excellent tipburn tolerance reduces crop loss from physiological disorders
- +Self-blanching growth habit eliminates need for manual blanching labor
- +Strong bolt resistance allows flexible harvest windows in warm seasons
- +Quick 52-day maturity enables multiple succession plantings per season
- +High yields make Curlesi economically viable for commercial growers
Considerations
- -Upright growth habit may require more vertical spacing in dense plantings
- -Organic seed option has limited availability compared to conventional seed
- -Self-blanching mechanism produces less tender inner leaves than forced varieties
- -Best suited for spring/summer despite year-round capability claims
Companion Plants
Chives and garlic along the bed edge do real work — their sulfur compounds disrupt the chemical cues aphids use to locate host plants. Radishes are worth tucking in at sowing time: they're up in 5–7 days, pull flea beetles away from the endive, and get pulled before they crowd Curlesi's 8–12 inch spacing. Tagetes patula marigolds add root-zone nematode suppression if that's been a problem in the bed. Broccoli is the one to keep at a distance — its root system occupies the same shallow 6–8 inch zone as endive, and the two genuinely slow each other's development when grown side by side.
Plant Together
Chives
Repels aphids and improves lettuce flavor while requiring similar growing conditions
Carrots
Deep roots don't compete with shallow lettuce roots, and carrots help break up soil
Radishes
Fast-growing radishes help break up soil and can be harvested before lettuce needs space
Marigolds
Repel aphids, whiteflies, and other pests that commonly attack lettuce
Spinach
Similar growing requirements and harvest times, efficient use of garden space
Garlic
Natural pest deterrent that repels aphids and slugs without competing for nutrients
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, drawing pests away from lettuce
Dill
Attracts beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings that prey on lettuce pests
Keep Apart
Broccoli
Competes heavily for nitrogen and space, can shade out lettuce with large leaves
Sunflowers
Allelopathic effects inhibit lettuce germination and growth, plus creates too much shade
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #2346388)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Common Pests
Aphids, slugs, snails, flea beetles
Diseases
Downy mildew, lettuce mosaic virus, bottom rot
Troubleshooting Curlesi
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Seedlings collapsing at the soil line within the first 7-10 days after transplanting or germination, sometimes with fuzzy white mold on the soil surface
Likely Causes
- Damping off — typically Pythium or Rhizoctonia solani — a soilborne fungal complex that thrives in cool, wet, poorly drained conditions
- Overwatering or compacted seedling mix that keeps moisture against the stem base
What to Do
- 1.Pull and discard affected seedlings; don't compost them
- 2.Let the soil surface dry out slightly between waterings — Curlesi wants consistent moisture, not saturated soil
- 3.Next round, start in fresh, sterile seed-starting mix and make sure containers drain freely; avoid reusing old trays without washing them in a 10% bleach solution first
Yellow, water-soaked patches on older leaves, with gray-purple fuzzy growth on the undersides — usually showing up in cool, wet stretches
Likely Causes
- Downy mildew (Bremia lactucae) — favors temperatures between 50–65°F and leaf wetness from overhead irrigation or heavy dew
- Dense planting that traps humidity around the foliage
What to Do
- 1.Remove and trash affected outer leaves immediately — don't let them sit on the soil
- 2.Water at the base of the plant, not overhead, and do it in the morning so foliage dries before evening
- 3.Space plants at least 10–12 inches apart to get air moving through the row
Ragged holes in leaves overnight with no insects visible during the day — seedlings and young plants hit hardest
Likely Causes
- Slugs or snails feeding after dark or on cloudy days, especially in beds with heavy mulch or debris near the crowns
- Flea beetles (Epitrix species) — tiny, jumping beetles leaving small round pits or shot-holes, more active in warm, dry weather
What to Do
- 1.For slugs: go out after dark with a flashlight, hand-pick, and drop them in soapy water; or set shallow traps baited with beer near the row edges
- 2.For flea beetles: cover transplants with row cover immediately after planting — at 52 days to harvest, Curlesi doesn't have weeks to recover from heavy early pressure
- 3.Clear any boards, wet debris, or thick mulch from directly against plant stems where slugs shelter during the day
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Curlesi lettuce take to harvest?▼
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Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
- BreederJohnny's Selected Seeds
- USDAUSDA FoodData Central
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.