Wild Chives Allium schoenoprasum
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- AL-ee-um sho-en-oh-PRAY-sum
- Description
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Chives are a bulbous perennial herb used as an ornamental or as a culinary herb. It has an edible flower and leaves that are used for flavoring with eggs, soups, salads, butter, cheese, dips, spreads, etc. Harvest the leaves by clipping them off at the base so as to maintain the attractiveness of the clumps. Clumps can be divided easily in the spring or fall and they will easily self-seed in the garden.
Plant Chives in average well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade. They work well when planted in mass along borders, in rock or vegetable gardens or they can be potted up and grown on a patio or in a sunny window indoors.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Root rot may occur in poorly drained soil.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for the Plant Identification and Use courses offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Allium
- Species:
- schoenoprasum
- Family:
- Amaryllidaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Leaves popular in many culinary dishes, flowers used to garnish soups and salads
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Balkans, Siberia, Asia Minor
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers attract pollinators
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Tolerant of deer, drought and Black Walnut
- Edibility:
- Flowers have a mildly bitter flavor and like young leaves can be eaten in small quantities raw in salads and sandwiches or cooked in tea and soups. However, the plant also has poisonous characteristics as noted in the "Poisonous to Humans" section of this record. Toxicity can depend on the age of the person or animal, the age of the plant, the part of the plant ingested, how much is ingested, whether the person or animal has sensitivities or allergies, whether it's eaten raw or cooked, and so forth. Consult with a medical professional for further details.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 5 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Bulb
- Cool Season Vegetable
- Edible
- Herb
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Houseplant
- Vegetable
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- 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 Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 3-valved capsule opens in summer to disperse many seeds
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Umbel
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Clusters of 1/2-3/4 inch star-shaped pale purple flowers with 6 petals bloom April-May on hollow tubular scapes. Fragrant and edible.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Acicular
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Hollow, fragrant, upright grass-like leaves forming clumps
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Description:
- Hollow, tubular green stems up to 20 inches tall
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Patio
- Recreational Play Area
- Small Space
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Edible Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Black Walnut
- Deer
- Diseases
- Drought
- Humidity
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
