Scientific: Allium
tuberosum
Common: garlic chives
Family: Liliaceae (onion family)
Origin: across Euroasia
Pronounciation: AL-lee-um to-ber-O-sum
Hardiness zones
Sunset All
USDA 3-11
Landscape Use: Herb for edible gardens in lower desert regions.
Form & Character: Short, upright (in full sun), clumping, informal appearance, aromatic, herb.
Growth Habit: Evergreen to partially deciduous, herbaceous, perennial subshrub. Slowly clumps and spread. Height is generally under 18 inches.
Foliage/Texture: Narrow, flattened, dull green succulent leaves, aromatic; fine texture.
Flowers & Fruits: Tiny, star-shaped, white flowers with brown striped tepals appear in loose clusters (umbels to 2 inches wide) atop leafless 9 to 18 inch stems in late summer into fall.
Seasonal Color: White flowers in late summer into fall.
Temperature: Tolerant of summer heat in a mesic garden setting.
Light: Partial to full sun, no full shade locations as foliage will lay down rather than stand erect.
Soil: Does best in low salinity soils heavily amended with organic matter, ergo, garden soil conditions are best.
Watering: Regular irrigations in desert areas especially during the Phoenix (cough...cough) 'warm' season.
Pruning: Remove spent flower heads is all that's needed.
Propagation: Seed and division of clumping off sets. Dig and divide clumps during late winter and early spring to re-invigorate.
Disease and Pests: None
Additional comments: Garlic chives are perfect for use in uncooked dishes where raw regular garlic might be overwhelming or too
spicy. Garlic chives do make a very small bulb that can be used like a small green onion. Harvest
the small bulbs before the flower opens, while it is just a bud for culinary
use.
Special note for avid desert gardeners: Beware!! Garlic chives WILL
reseed and colonize your garden space.