Varieties of Chives

Allium Schoenoprasum

Allium schoenoprasum is sold in supermarkets and at farmers' markets and is the variety most often used for cooking and garnishing. It is a sturdy perennial with cylindrical leaves that grow each year to almost 12 inches tall, and its flowers are delicate, purple spheres.

Pink chives (Allium schoenoprasum roseum) rarely grow more than 8 inches in height. This variety has green, cylinder-shaped leaves and wispy pale pink globular flowers. These chives are mostly used in cut flower arrangements.

Chinese chives (Allium tuberosum) have leaves that are flat instead of cylindrical. Their sweet garlic taste is less pungent than other chives, and their roots are larger and more tuberous than other varieties. This is the tallest variety of chives, often reaching 2 feet in height, and its summer flowers are white and star-shaped.

Similar in taste to Chinese chives, garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) have white flowers with five triangular petals. Garlic chives are typically around 15 or 16 inches tall at maturity.

Chives can be grown in vegetable gardens as well as in containers, with plants spaced 5 or 6 inches apart. They thrive in moist, rich soil with good drainage and grow best in temperatures between 45 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Before temperatures drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, carefully dig up clumps of chives with their roots, plant them in pots and keep them in a warm, well-lit indoor location. When chives start to bud, remove the flowering leaves to encourage growth and give new growth more flavor. Chives can withstand bright sunlight but should be moved to a shadier area if they start to droop or turn yellow.

When cutting chives, leave about 2 inches of the plant in the soil to promote regrowth. Since you can only harvest chives about four times annually, grow several plants to have chives on hand year round. The flowers of chives are edible, and when picked at their peak, they add flavor and color to green salads.