As Chicory  (Cichorium intybus) is not very common in Scotland  I was pleased to find several plants of vivid blue flowers growing beside a field.   The flower is similar to the Blue Sow Thistle which I have previously blipped but has very attractive square anther tubes with dark blue stripes on the edges.  Its roots are sometimes dried, roasted and ground then used as an addition or substitute for coffee especially in some parts of the world or when supplies of coffee have been disrupted.   Although the leaves are bitter in parts of the Mediterranean areas they are used like spinach but the chicory that we can buy is from different cultivers with very little resemblance to the wild plant.