Radicchio red preco outer leaves edible?

[jessgardens]

Hello, I'm new to vegetable gardening and recently planted radicchio red preco variety in my raised garden bed. Can I clip some of the outer green leaves that it's growing now to eat raw in a salad or is only the inner head that will eventually form edible? Thanks for any advice!

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Welcome to the forum.
I can't imagine the outer leaves would not be edible, but there may be a difference between edible and palatable.

 

[Toddz]

Yes you can but Oliver makes a very good point. They may not taste good.

 

[headfullofbees]

The reason radicchio is blanched, with the outer leaves discarded, is that they are very, very bitter.
They are just as edible as the inner.
Think about the difference between natural & blanched rhubarb.