Chives are a bulbous perennial used as ornamental or culinary herbs. Chives have edible flowers and leaves used for flavoring with eggs, soups, salads, butter, cheese, dips and spreads. Chives are from the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae) and native to a broad range of the temperate northern hemisphere including northern United States, Canada, northern Europe, Mongolia, Japan and almost all other northern hemispheric countries. The species name is derived from the Greek words "schoinos" meaning sedge or rush and "prason" meaning leek in reference to rush-like leeks. Plant chives in average well-drained soils in full sun to partial shade. Seeds can be started indoors eight to ten weeks before the last frost date or directly sown in full sun after the last frost date. Harvest can begin when plants are six inches high by clipping leaves off at the base to maintain the attractiveness of the clumps. Chives will self-seed if not dead-headed and grow in clumps which can be divided in the spring or fall. While prized for their edible qualities, their clusters of one-inch purple flowers rising up to 18 inches above ground have value as an ornamental flower. One cultivar, pink perfection, has the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit. Chives have a high nectar volume and are thus well suited as pollinator plants. Chives can be grown in small spaces and also work well when planted in mass along borders in rock or vegetable gardens. They can also 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. Chives are deer and drought resistant. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for the "Plant Identification and Use" courses developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Allium .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
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.
Uses (ethnobotany)
Leaves popular in many culinary dishes, flowers used to garnish soups and salads
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Houseplants; Patio; Recreational Play Area; Small Space; Walkways