Common Chive (Allium schoenoprasum) is a frost-hardy perennial herb with a wonderfully mild onion flavor that works beautifully both raw and cooked. These long, thin stems topped with delicate lavender flowers reach just 12 inches tall and mature in 60 to 90 days, making them one of the quickest herbs to bring to your kitchen. Hardy in zones 8 to 10 (though some sources suggest wider hardiness), they thrive in full sun and need just a 3-inch spacing to flourish, returning year after year with minimal fuss.
Full Sun
Moderate
8-10
12in H x 10in W
—
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Chives deliver a gentle onion essence that brightens dishes without overpowering them, and their slender form means they slip seamlessly into containers, garden edges, or herb beds. The lavender flowers are as edible as the stems, adding color to plates and attracting pollinators to the garden. Their rapid 60 to 90-day maturity and frost hardiness mean you can be snipping fresh chives from spring through fall without replanting, and they'll survive winter in most temperate zones.
Fresh chives are excellent scattered over soups, baked potatoes, omelets, and cream cheese as a garnish, their mild onion bite complementing without dominating. They shine in raw preparations, sprinkled over salads, mixed into soft cheeses, or layered into sandwiches. The tender stems can also be gently warmed in butter or cream sauces, and the lavender flowers make an attractive edible topping for cheese plates and composed dishes.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your average last frost date. Sow at a depth of 1/8 to 1/4 inch in soil kept at 55 to 60°F; seeds typically sprout in 7 to 14 days. Transplant seedlings outdoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date, or earlier if soil has warmed.
Transplant outdoors 6 to 8 weeks before your average last frost date once seedlings are established. Space them 3 inches apart in rows 8 inches apart. Chives are frost hardy and can tolerate cool soil, so they're flexible with timing.
Direct sow outdoors 4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date, when soil temperature reaches at least 45°F (ideally 60 to 70°F). You can also sow as late as 2 months before your average first fall frost date for a late-season crop.
Chives are ready to harvest 60 to 90 days after sowing. Begin cutting the outer stems once the plant has several leaves; snip them 1 to 2 inches above the soil level and they'll regrow from the base. Regular harvesting encourages bushier growth and prevents flowering if you prefer tender leaf tips. You can harvest continuously throughout the growing season, and the plant will keep producing fresh stems.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.