Chives

Scientific name: Allium schoenoprasum

Available forms: Fresh and dried

Chives are native to Europe, Asia, and North America; in fact, the species Allium schoenoprasum is the only species of Allium native to the New World and the Old World. Chives are a perennial plant with edible tubular leaves that grow 12 to 20 inches (30 to 50 cm) tall. The flowers are purple and grow on stems that rise up through the leaves.

Chives do best in well-drained soil, rich with organic matter, and in full sun. In colder regions, they will die back in winter to their underground bulbs and in early spring will produce new leaves. Because they grow in clumps and not as individual plants, chives are always referred to in the plural. Chives are the smallest species in the onion family. The name of the species comes from the Greek skhoinos (“sedge,” a plant resembling grass) mndprason (“onion”). The English name comes from the French cive, which was derived from the Latin word for “onion,” cepa.