Agricultural Information:

Plant Family: Amaryllidaceae
Scientific name: Allium schoenoprasum

Chives grow in dense clumps of thin, hollow, grass-like green stems, producing either purple or white star shaped flowers in the summer before readily dropping seeds.

Chives are the smallest of their cousins in the allium plant family that includes onions, leeks, and scallions. The plants can be propagated both by sowing seeds and by division of existing plants. Chives are also the only common member of the herb and vegetable alliums native to both the "Old World" (global east) and "New World" (global west) because their origins can be traced to Europe, North America, and Siberia.

Chives are a great addition to any garden in order to attract pollinators for their flowers or to deter pests like aphids because of their strong smell.

Culinarily, chive leaves are used fresh to flavor a variety of dishes, while the edible flowers add color as a garnish or a mild onion taste when infused in vinegar.