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- Text by Anna Palmé Chives are one of several onion species used in the Nordic kitchen and they can be found both as wild and cultivated forms. It is a popular herb, perhaps due to its mild onion taste, and it is used in a wide variety of dishes such as potato salads, cold sauces and with pickled herring. It has been cultivated in Europe since the 16th century…
- Text by Anna Palmé Chives are one of several onion species used in the Nordic kitchen and they can be found both as wild and cultivated forms. It is a popular herb, perhaps due to its mild onion taste, and it is used in a wide variety of dishes such as potato salads, cold sauces and with pickled herring. It has been cultivated in Europe since the 16th century…

Home > Växtporträtt > Chives (Allium schoenoprasum L)

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum L)

Text by Anna Palmé

Chives are one of several onion species used in the Nordic kitchen and they can be found both as wild and cultivated forms. It is a popular herb, perhaps due to its mild onion taste, and it is used in a wide variety of dishes such as potato salads, cold sauces and with pickled herring. It has been cultivated in Europe since the 16th century but it is likely that the wild forms have been used in cooking before this time.

a group of chives growing in a garden — Image: Lena Ansebo

There is currently no plant breeding on chives in the Nordic region. However, chives are popular for cultivation in home gardens and are sold both as seeds and plants. They are easy to cultivate and can survive for many years and also self-seed in the garden. In Sweden chives are the third most popular crop in home gardens after apples and red currents and are cultivated by 17% of the Swedish households (2012). Chives are also commercially cultivated in the Nordic region and a lot of the cultivation is done in hydroculture.

That chives are cold hardy has probably contributed to its popularity in the Nordic region. It can grow in mountain areas and latitudes up to 70˚N. The species has a circumpolar distribution throughout Europe, Asia and North America and is the Allium species with the widest geographic distribution. In the Nordic region it mainly occurs in the coastal areas but can also be found in inland locations. Chives can vary in appearance and different varieties have been named: var. sibiricum, var. alvarense, var. jurmoënse and the common garden variety var. schoenoprasum. However, intermediate forms occur and the taxonomic relevance of these varieties has been disputed.

chives growing in the wild next to a rocky shore — Image: Svein Solberg

Chives are perennial herbs that generally flowers in June. There are several other Allium species in the Nordic region that are somewhat similar to chives, for example field garlic (A. oleraceum), Keeled garlic (A. carinatum) and Wild onion (A. vineale) but these all have bulbils in the inflorescence. The rare species broadleaf chives (A. senescens) and A. lineare are also similar to chives.