Chives
Allium schoenoprasum
Purple pompom flowers for bees and leaves for every omelet.
Hardiness: zones 3 to 9
Light: full sun to part shade
Size: about 1 ft tall, 1 ft wide
Harvest: April to October
From: Europe and Asia
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food, pollinators.
Native to: Temperate Europe, Northern Europe & the taiga. Hardy in zones 3 to 9.
The story
Chives grow wild across Europe, Asia and North America and were gathered by Indigenous peoples and Europeans alike; Marco Polo found them in China, and they were one of the first herbs in colonial gardens. They are the easiest perennial herb.
Planting
Full sun or part shade, any decent soil; plant divisions or seed in spring, 8 inches apart. They come back for decades.
Growing
Water in dry spells, cut back after flowering for fresh growth, and divide every few years. Feed with compost.
Harvest and use
Snip leaves from spring to frost; the purple flowers are edible and make a pink vinegar.
What to watch for
Nothing to speak of; occasional rust.
See if Chives fits your yard
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More perennial vegetables, greens and herbs
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home