Allium schoenoprasum (Chive)

Allium schoenoprasum L.

Chive

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Liliopsida	Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
Subclass	Liliidae	Includes lilies, orchids, and many others
Order	Asparagales	A diverse group that includes asparagus
Family	Amaryllidaceae	Amaryllis family—plants that grow from bulbs. Includes onions and many others
Genus	Allium	Onions, leeks, shallots, garlic, scallions, etc.
Species	schoenoprasum	Schoenos from schoinos, a rush, reed; prason for “leek”

About plant names...

Chives are native to temperate regions around the world. Their cultivation dates back 5,000 years, though wild chives are also edible, and may even pop up in your lawn.

Identification: Plants are 8-20" (20-50 cm) tall, composed of clusters of erect, round, hollow leaves, ¹/₃₂-¼" (1-7 mm) thick. Sometimes the tubular leaves are unevenly curled. The clear odor of onions in a crushed leaf is a sure indicator. Flowers are globe- or dome-shaped, composed of many small tubes, pale to deep purple-pink in color. Each flowerhead has up to 30 tiny flowers. Fruits are three-lobed capsules.

Edibility: Chives are a popular culinary herb used for centuries, valued for the mild onion flavor of its leaves. Flowers and roots are also edible. There are other plants with tubular, hollow leaves, but any plant that smells like onion or garlic is edible. The tender shoots taste best. Older woody stalks won’t do you any harm, but they don’t taste as good. (Consumption of large quantities of chives by some animals, especially dogs, may result in poisoning. But I have never seen a dog pay any attention at all to chives.)