Garlic Chives
Garlic chives are an attractive perennial with edible foliage and edible flowers in August. Garlic chives are among the most versatile of all edible flowers, and can be used for flavoring in fresh salads or cooking. They have a clumping habit and spread by dropping their seeds. The seedlings appearing the following spring. They work well in perennial beds. All parts are edible and can be harvested throughout the growing season. Space individual plants @ 1' circles. Zones 4-8.
| Plant Characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Pest Resistance | Excellent |
| Disease Resistance | Excellent |
| Drought Tolerance | Good |
| Heat Tolerance | Excellent |
| Humidity Tolerance | Excellent |
| Sun Tolerance | Excellent |
| Wet Soil Tolerance | Fair |
| Salt Tolerance | Poor |
| Deer Resistance | Very Good |
| Thorns | No |
| Soil Type | Adaptable |
| Self Fertile | Yes |
| this information is accurate to the best of our knowledge, comments/opinions are always welcome | |
Chive Care Guide
Allium tuberosum, Onion flavor, Perennial, self-seeding. Well-drained soil, full sun.
Garlic chives are a perennial, hardy to zone 4. The long, flat, marrow, gray-green leaves grow about twelve inches tall. The leaves are grass like in appearance, but solid enough to be upright. The edible leaves have a strong garlic flavor.
Besides its use as an edible herb, this is an attractive plant in the perennial border. The flowers are bright, showing up well against a dark background.
The flower stems reach eighteen to thirty inches high, topped with a flat-headed cluster of white flowers in summer. Each individual flower has a piquant garlic-onion flavor with a slight crunch.
Garlic chives grow best in full sun. Plant mid-spring through summer. Allow twelve inches between plants.
Garlic chives can be aggressive. Plants can be divided and thinned whenever necessary. It also self seeds. Keep picking the flower heads as they mature and before they drop seeds.
If the plant starts getting too woody looking, trim the foliage back to within an inch of the ground. As traumatic as it may seem, it will benefit from such a severe pruning.
These pretty little flowers pack a lot of flavor. Use individual florets for garnish, not the entire flower cluster.
