Herb · Amaryllidaceae
Chives
Allium schoenoprasum
Hand chives full sun and steady moisture, and a single clump cranks out kitchen pickings for years.
Full sun
Every 3–7 days
59–77°F · 15–25°C
80–90 days
Overview
Chives bring the gentlest punch in the onion family, prized for their slim, hollow leaves and that mild oniony kick. They build tidy clumps of grass-like foliage that bounce back year after year, and come late spring they fire off pink-purple pompom flowers that pull their weight in a border and on the plate alike. Best of all, the leaves and the blooms are both edible.
Here is where chives really win you over: this hardy perennial asks for next to nothing. Drop it into a garden bed, line it along a path, or grow it in a pot on a sunny sill, and it powers through cold winters all the way down to USDA zone 3. Cut what you need and the plant fires right back with more.
One thing keeps the excitement in check, and it is all about animals. Chives land in the genus Allium right next to onion and garlic, which makes the whole plant dangerous to cats, dogs, horses, and livestock, even though people can tuck into it without a worry.
Care
The short version: chives thrive on full sun, soil kept moist and fertile, and a first harvest the moment the clump hits about 6 inches tall. Split it every few years and it just keeps powering along almost indefinitely.
Light
Chives chase full sun, which pumps up stout leaves and sharpens the flavor. They cope with partial shade, sure, but stint them on light and they stretch thin and lean hard toward the brightest patch they can find.
Water
Keep the soil evenly moist and chives crank out the heaviest crop of leaves, especially while a young plant is digging in. A mature clump rides out short dry spells, but let it parch over and over and the flavor and yield both nosedive.
Soil
Set chives into average, fertile, well-drained soil loaded with organic matter and they take right off. A pH between 6.0 and 7.0 hits the mark, and ground that drains fast keeps the bulblets from rotting away.
Temperature
Chives hit their stride in the cool of 59°F to 77°F (15°C to 25°C). They are tough customers, overwintering outdoors in cold climates by dying back, then bursting up again the moment the ground warms in spring.
Humidity
Skip fussing over humidity, because everyday levels of 40% to 60% more than cover it. Airflow does the real work here, since damp, crowded leaves roll out the welcome mat for rust.
Feeding
A balanced fertilizer or a scoop of compost in spring drives chives clear through the season. Keep it light though, because too much feed waters down the flavor instead of pushing the plant forward.
Pruning
Snip leaves near the base once the clump clears about 6 inches (15 cm), and shear the whole thing back every so often to spark fresh, tender growth. Whip off the spent flower heads too, and the plant quits seeding itself across the bed.
Repotting
Forget repotting, because chives crave dividing every 2 to 3 years instead. The second the clump packs tight, the leaves thin out, or the center starts dying back, dive in, lift it, and split it up.
Size & spacing
A mature clump shoots up 8 to 16 inches (20 to 40 cm) tall and spreads roughly 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) wide. Hand each one that much room so air rips through freely and rust never gets a foothold.
When to plant
Chives ride the cool energy of spring and barely need a schedule once they dig in. Kick seed off indoors in late winter, or drop divisions into the ground after the last frost, then keep cutting leaves all season and watch the flowers light up in late spring.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Sow: 8-10 weeks before the last spring frost
- Plant: Spring, after the last frost
- Harvest: Snip leaves once plants are about 15 cm (6 in) tall and established; pink-purple pompom flowers appear late spring to early summer
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 3–9
Temperature: down to -40°C
Troubleshooting
Chives shrug off most problems, and the few that surface usually hit the leaves or trace back to a clump bursting at the seams. Spot what is happening, match it below, and jump on it early while the fix takes almost no work.
Rusty orange pustules erupting on leaves with dying tips
Those raised orange-brown spots are rust, a fungus that pounces when a crowded clump traps damp air around the foliage. Cut off the hit leaves, open the clump wide open by dividing it, and water at the base so the leaves dry out fast. Knock it back early and the plant rebounds.
Fix:
- Cut back and remove affected foliage
- Improve spacing and air circulation by dividing crowded clumps
- Water at the base to keep leaves dry
A packed clump thinning out and collapsing in the center
When a clump jams up and the center caves in, you have hit an overcrowded clump that has flat outgrown its space, with the bulblets scrapping over food and water. Lift it in spring or early fall, rip it apart, and replant the strong outer divisions in fresh, fertile soil. A good soak afterward settles them right back in.
Fix:
- Lift and divide the clump in spring or early fall
- Replant healthy divisions in refreshed, fertile soil
- Water in well after dividing
Silvery streaking and light stippling across the blades
A silvery sheen and pale stippling scream thrips, tiny insects that rasp at the leaves and leave that shimmer behind. Onion fly maggots or flat-out heat and drought stress can fake the same browning tips, so check first. Blast the thrips off with a hard jet of water, strip away the worst leaves, and keep the soil evenly moist right through the hot stretch.
Fix:
- Rinse plants with a strong jet of water to dislodge thrips
- Remove and discard badly damaged leaves
- Maintain even soil moisture during hot weather
Toxicity
This is the one spot where the kitchen and the pet bowl split hard. People can dig into chives all day, but as an Allium the plant turns toxic to cats, dogs, horses, and livestock, where the organosulfur compounds wreck red blood cells and drive hemolytic anemia. Cats feel it the most, so keep the plant and every trimming well out of their reach.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Safe for
People
Cats Severe
Cats take the hardest hit from this plant, so keep them clear. Watch for vomiting, weakness, and pale gums, then red or brown urine as their red blood cells break down. A racing heart and heavy panting flag the hemolytic anemia that makes even a small nibble dangerous.
Dogs Moderate
A dog that chews the leaves may vomit, drag around listless, and show pale gums or bloody urine. The more it eats, the harder the odds tip toward full-blown hemolytic anemia.
Horses Severe
Horses are highly vulnerable to Allium poisoning. Expect weakness, dullness, and pale membranes, with dark or discolored urine as the same oxidative damage tears through their red blood cells.
Rabbits Toxic
Never hand chives to a rabbit. The organosulfur compounds attack red blood cells just as they do in cats and dogs, and a rabbit's small body has little margin for it.
Livestock Toxic
Cattle, sheep, and goats that graze on chives risk the classic Allium toxicosis, with weakness, anemia, and discolored urine. Trouble can pile up quietly over repeated meals.
Birds Toxic
Birds stand utterly defenseless against these toxins, so even a crumb of leaf can wreck their blood. Stash chives and any kitchen trimmings far from a caged bird or backyard flock.
People Safe
Great news for the cook: chives are a kitchen herb, and the leaves and flowers eat well raw or cooked. The same compounds that harm animals pose no threat to people in normal amounts.
All parts are toxic to pets whether fresh, dried, or cooked; even small or cumulative amounts can be dangerous, particularly to cats. Wash hands after handling and keep trimmings and harvested leaves out of reach.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
United Kingdom
Animal PoisonLine: 01202 509000 (fee applies)
Australia
Animal Poisons Helpline: 1300 869 738
Varieties
The plain species fills most kitchens just fine, but a couple of named picks earn a spot for their flowers and their easygoing habits.
'Forescate'
Forescate jumps out with its vivid rose-pink flowers and strong, vigorous foliage.
'Profusion'
Profusion is a sterile cultivar that flowers like mad without setting seed, so it never self-sows across the garden.
Common chives (species)
Common chives are the everyday culinary form, packing hollow, grass-like leaves with a mild onion flavor and those familiar pink-purple pompom flowers.
Companions
The strong onion scent of chives can steer some pests away from neighbors like carrots, but the same plant chemistry sets back legumes, so keep it clear of beans and peas.
Plant near
Carrots: Strongly scented alliums like chives are reputed to help deter pests such as carrot fly, and onions/alliums are commonly paired with carrots in extension companion guidance.
Keep apart
Beans: Alliums (onion, garlic, chives) stunt the growth of beans and should not be interplanted with them.
Peas: Like beans, peas are legumes whose growth is inhibited by nearby alliums such as chives.
How to propagate
Multiplying chives is one of the most satisfying jobs going. Split a clump you already grow for instant new plants, or fire up a fresh batch from seed when you fancy the project.
DivisionEasy
Spring or early fall · A few weeks to reestablish; divisions are productive the same or following season
Division is the fastest way to crank out more chives, hands down. Every 2 to 3 years, lift an established clump, tear it into smaller bunches of bulblets, and slam them back in the ground right away. They settle in within a few weeks and crop the same or the following season, so you score plants in no time.
SeedModerate
Start indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost, or direct sow after the last frost · About 80-90 days to a usable harvest from seed
Seed runs slower and rewards a bit of patience, since it germinates and grows lazily at first. Start it indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost, or sow it straight into warm, moist soil afterward, and thin the seedlings as they bulk up. Bank on roughly 80 to 90 days before you have a clump worth cutting.
Myths
Such a mild little kitchen herb has to be perfectly fine for pets.
Easy trap to fall into, but no. Chives are an Allium, the same family as onion and garlic, and the ASPCA lists them as toxic to cats and dogs. Even a mild-tasting herb can trigger Heinz-body hemolytic anemia in animals, so keep it off the menu for pets, full stop.
The bulb alone is the risky part of a chive plant for animals.
Not even close, because the toxic organosulfur compounds run through the whole plant, the hollow leaves and the flowers included. Every part can poison a pet, not just the bulb.