Species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae
This article is about the edible plant common in Western cuisine. For the Asian vegetable (garlic chives, Chinese chives), seeAllium tuberosum. For other uses, seeChives (disambiguation).
Aperennial plant,A. schoenoprasum is widespread in nature across much of Eurasia and North America. It is the only species ofAllium native to both theNew World andOld World.
The leaves and flowers are edible. Chives are a commonly usedherb and vegetable with a variety of culinary uses. They are also used to repel insects.
Chives are abulb-formingherbaceous perennial plant, growing to 25 centimetres (10 in) tall.[3] The bulbs are slender, conical, 2–3 cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4 in) long and1 cm (1⁄2 in) broad, and grow in dense clusters from theroots. Thescapes (or stems) are hollow and tubular, up to 50 cm (20 in) long[citation needed] and2–3 mm (1⁄16–1⁄8 in) across, with a soft texture, although, prior to the emergence of a flower, they may appear stiffer than usual. The grass-like leaves,[4] which are shorter than the scapes, are also hollow and tubular, or terete (round in cross-section).
Theflowers are pale purple, and star-shaped with sixpetals,1–2 cm (1⁄2–3⁄4 in) wide, and produced in a denseinflorescence of 10–30 together; before opening, the inflorescence is surrounded by a paperybract. Theseeds are produced in a small, three-valved capsule, maturing in summer. The herb flowers from April to May in the southern parts of its habitat zones and in June in the northern parts.[5][6]
Sometimes, the plants found in North America are classified asA. schoenoprasumvar.sibiricum, although this is disputed. Differences between specimens are significant. One example was found in northernMaine growing solitary, instead of in clumps, also exhibiting dingy grey flowers.[7]
The name of the species derives from theGreek σχοίνος,skhoínos (sedge or rush) and πράσον,práson (leek).[11] ItsEnglish name, chives, derives from theFrench wordcive, fromcepa, theLatin word for onion.[12][4] In theMiddle Ages, it was known as 'rush leek'.[4]
Several subspecies have been proposed, but are not accepted byPlants of the World Online, as of July 2021[update], which sinks them into two subspecies:
Varieties have also been proposed, includingA. schoenoprasum var.sibiricum. The Flora of North America notes that the species is very variable, and considers recognition of varieties as "unsound".[15]
It is native to all parts of Europe with the exception ofSicily,Sardinia, the island ofCyprus,Iceland,Crimea, andHungary and other offshore islands. It also is not native to Belgium and Ireland, but it grows there as an introduced plant.[24]
In North America it is native to Alaska and almost every province of Canada, but has been introduced to the island ofNewfoundland. In the United States the certain native range in the lower 48 is in two separated areas. In the west its range is in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. In the east it extends from Minnesota, eastward through Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Then northward into New York and all ofNew England.[24] ThePlants of the World Online database lists it as introduced to Illinois and Maryland and the USDANatural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS database additionally lists it as growing in Nevada, Utah, Missouri, and Virginia without information on if it is native or introduced to those states.[24][26]
Chives are repulsive to most insects due to theirsulfur compounds, but their flowers attractbees, and they are at times kept to increase desired insect life.[27]
The plant provides a great deal ofnectar forpollinators. It was rated in the top 10 for most nectar production (nectar per unit cover per year) in a United Kingdom plants survey conducted by the AgriLand project which is supported by the UK Insect Pollinators Initiative.[28]
Chives have been cultivated in Europe since theMiddle Ages (from the fifth until the 15th centuries), although their usage dates back 5,000 years.[12]
Chives are cultivated both for their culinary uses and for their ornamental value; the violet flowers are often used in ornamental dry bouquets.[29]
Chives thrive in well-drained soil, rich in organic matter, with apH of 6–7 and full sun.[30] They can be grown from seed and mature in summer, or early the following spring. Typically, chives need to begerminated at a temperature of 15 to 20 °C (59 to 68 °F) and kept moist. They can also be planted under acloche or germinated indoors in cooler climates, then planted out later. After at least four weeks, the young shoots should be ready to be planted out. They are also easily propagated by division.[31]
In cold regions, chives die back to the underground bulbs in winter, with the new leaves appearing in early spring. Chives starting to look old can be cut back to about 2–5 cm. When harvesting, the needed number of stalks should be cut to the base.[31] During the growing season, the plant continually regrows leaves, allowing for a continuous harvest.[31]
Chives are susceptible to damage byleek moth larvae, which bore into the leaves or bulbs of the plant.[32]
Chives are grown for theirscapes and leaves, which are used for culinary purposes as a flavoring herb, and provide a somewhat milder onion-like flavor than those of otherAllium species.[35] The edible flowers are used in salads,[36] or used to make blossom vinegars.[37] Both the scapes and the unopened, immature flower buds are diced and used as an ingredient foromelettes,fish,potatoes,soups, and many other dishes.[4] The scapes are often paired withcream cheese.[38]
Chives have a wide variety of culinary uses, such as in traditional dishes in France, Sweden, and elsewhere.[39] In his 1806 bookAttempt at a Flora (Försök til en flora),Anders Jahan Retzius describes how chives are used with pancakes, soups, fish, and sandwiches.[39] They are also an ingredient of thegräddfil sauce with the traditionalherring dish served at Swedishmidsummer celebrations. The flowers and scapes may also be used to garnish dishes.[38][40]
In Poland and Germany, chives are served withquark. Chives are one of thefines herbes of French cuisine, the others beingtarragon,chervil andparsley. Chives can be found fresh at most markets year-round, making them readily available; they can also be dry-frozen without much impairment to the taste, giving home growers the opportunity to store large quantities harvested from their own gardens.[12]
Retzius also describes how farmers would plant chives between the rocks making up the borders of their flowerbeds, to keep the plants free from pests (such asJapanese beetles).[39][41] The growing plant repels unwanted insect life, and the juice of the leaves can be used for the same purpose, as well as fightingfungal infections,mildew, andscab.[42][43][44][45]
Fila Tarentini graviter redolentia porri Edisti quoties, oscula clausa dato. (After eating the heavily scented threads of Tarentine leek, give your kisses closed.)
The Romans believed chives could relieve the pain fromsunburn or a sore throat. They believed eating chives could increaseblood pressure and act as adiuretic.[48]
Romani have used chives in fortune telling.[49] Bunches of dried chives hung around a house were believed to ward off disease and evil.[50][22]
In the 19th century,Dutch farmers fed cattle on the herb to give a different taste to theirmilk.[22]
^Tardiff, B.; Morisset, P. (1990). "Clinal morphological variation ofAllium schoenoprasum in eastern North America".Taxon.39 (3):417–429.doi:10.2307/1223088.JSTOR1223088.
^abcMcGee, Rose Marie Nichols; Stuckey, Maggie (2002).The Bountiful Container. Workman Publishing.
^Landry, Jean-François (June 2007). "Taxonomic review of the leek moth genus Acrolepiopsis (Lepidoptera: Acrolepiidae) in North America".The Canadian Entomologist.139 (3):319–353.doi:10.4039/n06-098.ISSN1918-3240.S2CID86748199.
