Allium schoenoprasum 'Medium Leaved': versatile chives for the kitchen and garden

Allium schoenoprasum 'Medium Leaved', known as chives, is a perennial, hardy herb that's essential for any kitchen or herb garden. This medium-sized variety boasts slender, hollow leaves with a mild onion flavor and light purple flowers, which are completely edible.

Chives are one of the most versatile culinary herbs, perfect for salads, soups, sauces, omelets, and fish dishes. The compact, round clumps make for a convenient harvest, while the flowers are a decorative and flavorful addition to any dish.

Growth characteristics and appearance

Allium schoenoprasum Medium Leaved grows to about 50 cm tall and forms compact clumps with upright, hollow stems. The slender leaves are perfect for continuous harvesting, as cutting the stems encourages the plant to produce new shoots.

• Leaf: medium-sized, hollow, narrow and green

• Flowers: light purple, spherical and edible

• Height: approx. 50 cm

• Growth habit: compact clumps, easy to harvest

The plant is winter-hardy and can continue to grow in the garden for several years. Its robust root system makes chives weather-resistant and low-maintenance, making them ideal for both novice and experienced gardeners.

Cultivation and care

Chives are an easy-to-grow herb, suitable for both garden beds and pots on balconies or patios. They thrive in a variety of well-drained soil types and can be grown in both full sun and partial shade.

Growing instructions:

• Location: full sun to partial shade

• Soil: well-drained, nutritious, slightly moist

• Water requirements: regular, not too wet

• Sowing: directly in the open ground or in pots from March to August

• Planting distance: approximately 15–20 cm between clumps

• Harvest: from spring to autumn, continuously harvestable by regular mowing

Regular harvesting keeps the leaves young, tender, and flavorful, while the plants continue to produce new shoots. The edible flowers appear in late spring to early summer and are ideal as a culinary decoration.

Applications in garden design

Besides its culinary value, Allium schoenoprasum Medium Leaved is also a beautiful garden plant:

• Herb garden: compact clumps that are easy to harvest

• Borders and mixed planting: adds height, colour and structure

• Pots and balcony boxes: suitable for small spaces, very winter hardy

• Flower meadows: the purple flowers attract bees and butterflies, which contributes to biodiversity

• Combinations: can be combined with other culinary herbs such as parsley, thyme or basil

The edible flowers and aromatic leaves make it a multifunctional plant, ideal for both ornamental and functional planting.

Culinary benefits

Allium schoenoprasum Medium Leaved offers more than just color and texture in the garden. It's an indispensable flavor enhancer:

• Leaves: mild onion flavour, perfect for salads, soups, sauces, omelettes and fish dishes

• Flowers: subtly oniony and slightly sweet, decorative for dishes

• Use: harvest fresh, freeze or use as a garnish

• Nutritious: rich in vitamin C, antioxidants and flavonoids

Thanks to the herb's continuous harvestability, home cooks and chefs can use fresh ingredients from their own garden all season long.

In short: versatile and hardy chives

Allium schoenoprasum Medium Leaved is a compact, hardy, and continuously harvestable culinary herb with medium-sized, hollow leaves and light purple flowers. Key characteristics:

• Slender, hollow leaves with a mild onion flavour

• Light purple, edible flowers

• Height: approx. 50 cm, suitable for garden and pot

• Hardy and low maintenance

• Continuously harvestable from spring to autumn

• Attracts bees and butterflies and increases biodiversity

This perennial chive is a perfect combination of culinary functionality, ornamental value, and garden friendliness, making it a must-have herb for any garden enthusiast or professional grower.