SafePlants

Allium schoenoprasum - Chives

Also known as Wild Chives or Flowering Onion, Allium schoenoprasum is a perennial, onion-smelling plant.

Considerations for Pets

• The text mentions that chives have an onion-like smell. Plants in the Allium family can be toxic to pets.

Considerations for Children

• The text mentions eating wild chives; consult with an expert before consuming foraged plants.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Allium schoenoprasum
• Common Names: Chives, Wild Chives, Flowering Onion
• Family: Alliaceae (formerly Liliaceae), Lily Family
• Genus: Allium
• Synonyms: The text refers to a Korean drama with multiple titles, which could be considered as related names, such as: Jang Gook Becomes Dallae; Wild Chives and Tofu Soup; Wild Chive Soybean Paste Soup; Soothed Clear Soup; Jang Gook Becomes Dal-rae: Reunion in 12 Years.

Distribution and Habitat

• Wild chives are native to North America.
• It is also found in Cornwall, where it flowers as early as May.
• They have also escaped from cultivation, making it difficult to distinguish native populations from escaped ones.

Morphological Characteristics

• The stem is 20-50 cm tall, rather stout, and round.
• It grows from bulbs up to 10 mm thick.
• It produces rounded clusters of pale pinkish-purple flowers.
• The flowers have 6 erect petals with a dark stripe down the center.

Quirky Facts

• The text humorously mentions a husband getting nervous when the author asks about eating wild things.
• A significant portion of the text is dedicated to a South Korean drama series titled "Wild Chives and Soy Bean Soup: 12 Years Reunion," highlighting its cultural relevance, plot, and various alternate titles.