Endive is a herbaceous plant, quite similar to chicory. The plant has clumps, with overlapping leaves, larger and of a more intense color on the outside and smaller and lighter in the central part (defined as the "heart").

The two most important varieties of endive are riccia and escarole, the first has very irregular leaves with jagged edges, while escarole has broader, smooth or wavy leaves, with finely indented margins.