Chives

Herb · Perennial

Allium schoenoprasum

Chives

A very hardy, clump-forming perennial herb with fine, onion-flavoured leaves and pompom flowers in pink or purple.

  • Full sun, Partial shade
  • 20–45 cm (8–18 in)
  • 15–30 cm (6–12 in)
  • H7 · Zone 3
  • May–July
  • Deciduous

Overview

Chives grow wild across the cooler parts of Europe, Asia and North America and are one of the easiest perennial herbs to grow. They form neat clumps of fine, hollow, grass-like leaves with a mild onion flavour, topped in late spring and early summer by rounded pompoms of pink to purple flowers, which are also edible and much visited by bees. Chives are extremely hardy (below -30°C / -22°F), dying back to the ground in winter and returning each spring, and grow in sun or part shade in most reasonably moist soils. Cutting the whole clump back after flowering gives a fresh flush of leaves. White-flowered forms are also available.

At a Glance

Sun Full sun, Partial shade
Height 20–45 cm (8–18 in)
Spread 15–30 cm (6–12 in)
Hardiness H7 · Zone 3
Flowers May–July
Soil Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Moisture Moist well drained
Habit Clump forming, Tufted
Water Moderate
Maintenance Easy

Growing Conditions

Min. Temperature -35°C (-31°F)
pH Range 6–7.5
Fertility Fertile
Drainage Free Draining

Aspect Suitability

  • East-facing
  • South-facing
  • West-facing

Soil Tolerance

  • Clay
  • Chalk
  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Neutral pH
  • Alkaline

Foliage

Persistence Deciduous
Colour Green, Dark green
Leaf shape / texture linear

Foliage interest: March–October

Seasonal Timeline

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Flowering
Foliage
Fruiting
Propagate
Harvest
  • Flowering May Jun Jul
  • Foliage Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
  • Fruiting Jul Aug
  • Propagate Mar Apr Sep Oct
  • Harvest Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct

How to propagate

Ways to grow more Chives: the usual steps for each method.

Division Mar–Apr, Sep–Oct Easy

You'll need: A garden fork or spade (two forks back to back help with big clumps) and a sharp knife.

  1. Water the plant well the day before.
  2. Dig up the whole clump with a fork, keeping as much root as you can.
  3. Split it into pieces about the size of your fist, each with healthy roots and shoots: pull them apart by hand, or cut tough clumps with a knife or spade.
  4. Throw away any old, woody middle.
  5. Replant the pieces straight away at the same depth, and water them in well.
How long
Settles in within a few weeks.
It's worked when
Fresh new growth within a few weeks.
Then
Water in dry spells for the rest of the season.
From seed Mar–Apr Easy

You'll need: Seed compost, a seed tray or small pots, labels, and a clear lid or plastic bag.

  1. Fill a tray or pots with seed compost, level it and firm it gently.
  2. Water the compost and let it drain.
  3. Sow the seeds thinly on top. Cover them with a fine layer of compost or vermiculite about as deep as the seed is big; leave tiny seeds uncovered.
  4. Label them, cover with a clear lid or bag, and keep them somewhere bright but out of hot sun.
  5. Keep the compost just moist, and take the cover off once seedlings appear.
How long
Usually comes up in 1 to 3 weeks.
It's worked when
Seedlings with their first pair of leaves.
Then
When each has its first true leaves, prick them out into their own small pots, holding them by a leaf, never the stem. Harden them off for a week or two before planting out.

Divide congested clumps every three or four years in spring or autumn, replanting small groups of bulbs. Seed sown in spring germinates readily but takes a year to make a usable clump. Plants self-seed freely if flowers are left to set seed.

Maintenance Calendar

  • Mar Top-dress clumps with a little compost as new growth appears
  • Apr Snip leaves 2-3cm (1in) above the base as needed, which encourages fresh growth
  • Jun Pick flowers to eat or cut them off as they fade, which stops self-seeding
  • Jul Shear the whole clump to the base after flowering for a fresh crop of tender leaves
  • Sep Lift and divide clumps every three or four years to keep them vigorous
  • Oct Pot up a small clump and bring it indoors for winter leaves

Garden Design

Works well in: Cottage, Edible / Kitchen Garden, Wildlife-friendly

Plant as a soft edging along beds and paths in an ornamental kitchen garden, under roses or fruit bushes, or in pots near the kitchen door where it is easy to snip.

Companion planting: Carrots, Tomatoes, Roses, Strawberries, Avoid planting next to beans and peas

Wildlife Value

  • Bees
  • Butterflies
  • Other pollinators
  • RHS Plants for Pollinators

Spreads or self-seeds freely: keep it in check.

Safety

  • Toxic to dogs
  • Toxic to cats
  • Toxic to horses

Leaves and flowers are edible for people. Chives are toxic to dogs, cats and horses if eaten in quantity, as they damage red blood cells.