Chives
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Subkingdom: Tracheobionta Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Subclass: Liliidae Order: Asparagales Family: Alliaceae Genus: Allium Species: A. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Vascular plants (also known as tracheophytes or higher plants) are those Plants that have lignified tissues for conducting The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group Liliopsida is a Botanical name for the class containing the family Liliaceae (or Lily Family Asparagales is an order of Flowering plants The order must include the family Asparagaceae, but other families included in the order have varied markedly Alliaceae is a family of herbaceous perennial Flowering plants. Allium is the Onion Genus, with about 1250 Species, making it one of the largest plant genera in the world schoenoprasum
Binomial name
Allium schoenoprasum L.

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are the smallest species of the onion family^[1] Alliaceae, native to Europe, Asia and North America^[2]. In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. Organicsalsajpg||thumb|right|Onions used in salsa.]]Cooked onions in frying pan Alliaceae is a family of herbaceous perennial Flowering plants. They are referred to only in the plural, because they grow in clumps rather than as individual plants. Allium schoenoprasum is also the only species of Allium native to both the New and the Old World. The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia. The Old World consists of those parts of Earth known to Europeans Asians and Africans in the 15th century

Its species name derives from the Greek skhoinos (sedge) and prason (onion). Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly The family Cyperaceae, or the sedges, is a taxon of monocot Flowering plants that superficially resemble grasses or rushes ^[3] Its English name, chive, derives from the French word cive, which was derived from cepa, the Latin word for onion. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. ^[4]

Culinary uses for chives involve shredding its leaves (straws) for use as condiment for fish, potatoes and soups. Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two The potato is a Starchy Tuberous crop Vegetable from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae Soup is a Food that is made by combining ingredients such as Meat and Vegetables in stock or hot/boiling Water, until the flavor Because of this, it is a common household herb, frequent in gardens as well as in grocery stores. A(n herb (ˈhɝb or /ˈɝb/ see pronunciation differences) is a plant that is valued for qualities such as medicinal properties flavor scent or the like It also has insect-repelling properties which can be used in gardens to control pests. ^[5]

Biology

The chive is a bulb-forming herbaceous perennial plant, growing to 30-50 cm tall. A bulb is an underground vertical Shoot that has modified leaves (or thickened leaf bases that are used as Food Storage organs by A herbaceous plant (or in botanical use a Herb) is a Plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of A perennial plant or perennial ( Latin per, "through" annus, "year" is a Plant that lives for more than A centimetre ( American spelling: centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one hundredth The bulbs are slender conical, 2-3 cm long and 1 cm broad, and grow in dense clusters from the roots. ROOT is an object-oriented program and library developed by CERN. The leaves are hollow tubular, up to 50 cm long, and 2-3 mm in diameter, with a soft texture, although, prior to the emergence of a flower from a leaf, it may appear stiffer than usual. In Botany, a leaf is an above-ground Plant organ specialized for Photosynthesis. Geometry, a diameter of a Circle is any straight Line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose Endpoints are on the The flowers are pale purple, star-shaped with six tepals, 1-2 cm wide, and produced in a dense inflorescence of 10-30 together; before opening, the inflorescence is surrounded by a papery bract. A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also Tepals are elements of the Perianth, or outer part of a flower which include the Petals or Sepals The term tepal is usually used when all segments An inflorescence is a group or cluster of Flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main Branch or a complicated arrangement of branches In Botany, a bract is a modified or specialized Leaf. Bracts are ordinarily associated with reproductive structures (subtending Flowers Inflorescence The seeds are produced in a small three-valved capsule, maturing in summer. A seed (in some plants referred to as a kernel) is a small embryonic Plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat usually with some stored The herb flowers from April to May in the southern parts of its habitat zones and in June in the northern parts. ^[6][7]

Chives are the only species of Allium native to both the Old World and New. The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia. Sometimes, the plants found in North America are classified as A. schoenoprasum var. sibiricum, although this is disputed. In Botanical nomenclature or biological nomenclature variety is a low-level Taxonomic rank below that of species and signifies members of different populations can There have been significant differences among specimens: one example was found in northern Maine growing solitary, instead of in clumps, also exhibiting dingy grey flowers. The State of Maine ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean ^[8]

Albeit repulsive to insects in general, due to its sulfur compounds, its flowers are attractive to bees, and it is sometimes kept to increase desired insect life. Sulfur or sulphur (ˈsʌlfɚ see spelling below) is the Chemical element that has the Atomic number 16 Bees are flying Insects closely related to Wasps and Ants Bees are a Monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea ^[9]

Uses

Culinary

Scallions are often mistaken for chives. "Green onions" redirects here For other uses see Green onion. In this photo, they serve as a garnish for Japanese soup misoshiru. is a traditional Japanese Soup consisting of a stock called " Dashi " into which is mixed softened Miso paste

Chives are grown for their leaves, which are used for culinary purposes as condiment, which provide a somewhat milder flavour than its neighbouring Allium species.

Chives have a wide variety of culinary uses, such as in traditional dishes in France^[10] and Sweden^[11], among others. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. In his 1806 book Attempt at a Flora (Försök til en flora), Retzius describes how chives are used with pancakes, soups, fish and sandwiches. ^[11] It is also an ingredient of the gräddfil sauce served with the traditional herring dish served at Swedish midsummer celebrations. Herring are small Oily fish of the genus Clupea found in the shallow temperate waters of the North Atlantic, the Baltic Sea, the North Midsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice The flowers may also be used to garnish dishes. ^[12]

Chives are one of the "fines herbes" of French cuisine, which also include tarragon, chervil and/or parsley. Fines herbes is a culinary mainstay in French cuisine. The ingredients of fines herbes are fresh Parsley, Chives, Tarragon and Chervil This article is about the Herb; for the Freedom Call CD see Taragon. Chervil ( Anthriscus cerefolium) is a delicate annual Herb related to Parsley. Parsley ( Petroselinum crispum) is a bright Green, biennial Herb, also used as Spice.

Chives can be found fresh at most markets year-round, making it a readily available spice herb; it can also be dry-frozen without much impairment to its taste, giving home growers the opportunity to store large quantities harvested from their own garden. ^[4]

In cultivation

Retzius also describes how farmers would plant chives between the rocks making up the borders of their flowerbeds, to keep the plants free from pests (such as Japanese beetles^[13]). The Japanese beetle ( Popillia japonica commonly referred to as the jitterbug is a Beetle about 1 ^[11]. While the growing plant repels unwanted insect life, the juice of the leaves can be used for the same purpose, as well as fighting fungal infections, mildew and scab. Mycosis (plural mycoses) is a condition in which Fungi pass the resistance barriers of the human or animal body and establish Infections Classification Mildew refers to certain kinds of Mold or Fungus. In Old English, it meant honeydew (a substance secreted by Aphids on leaves formerly Fusarium ear blight (also called FEB, Fusarium head blight, FHB or scab) is a fungal disease in plants ^[14][15][16]

Its flowers are attractive to bees, which are important for gardens with an abundance of plants in need of pollination. Pollination in angiosperms and Gymnosperms is the process that transfers pollen grains, which contain the male Gametes (sperm to where the female

Medical uses

The medical properties of chives are similar to those of garlic, but weaker; the faint effects in comparison with garlic are probably the main reason for its limited use as a medicinal herb. Allium sativum L, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the Onion family Alliaceae. See also Herbalism Medicinal plants of the American West List of culinary herbs and spices Containing numerous organisulplide compounds such as allyl sulfides^[17] and alkyl sulfoxides, chives have a beneficial effect on the circulatory system, acting upon it by lowering the blood pressure. This is an article about the rock music band "Circulatory System" ^[18] As chives are usually served in small amounts and never as the main dish, negative effects are rarely encountered, although digestive problems may occur following over-consumption. Digestion is the breaking down of chemicals in the body into a form that can be absorbed ^[18]

Chives are also rich in vitamins A and C, and contain trace amounts of sulfur and iron. Vitamin A refers to a family of similarly shaped molecules the Retinoids. Vitamin C or L-ascorbate is an Essential nutrient for a large number of higher primate species a small number of other Mammalian Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 ^[19]

Cultivation

Chives are cultivated both for its culinary uses as well as its ornamental value; the violet flowers are often used in ornamental dry bouquets. ^[20]

Chives thrive in well drained soil, rich in organic matter, with a pH of 6-7 and full sun. pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a Solution. ^[2]

Chives can be grown from seed and mature in summer, or early the following spring. Typically, chives need to be germinated at a temperature of 15 °C to 20 °C and kept moist. Germination is the process whereby growth emerges from a period of dormancy They can also be planted under a cloche or germinated indoors in cooler climates, then planted out later. In Horticulture, row cover is any material used as a protective covering to shield plants usually Vegetables, primarily from the undesirable effects of cold and wind After at least four weeks, the young shoots should be ready to be planted out.

In the winter, chives die back to the underground bulbs, with the new leaves appearing in early spring. Chives starting to look old can be cut back to about 2-5 cm; this length is also preferred when harvesting, making the unattractive yellowing appear close to the ground, so that the plant can retain its aesthetic value.

History and cultural importance

Chives have been cultivated in Europe since the Middle Ages, although signs of its usage date back to 5000 years ago^[4].

The Romans believed chives could relieve the pain from sunburn or a sore throat. A sunburn is a burn to living tissue such as Skin produced by overexposure to Ultraviolet (UV radiation commonly from the Sun 's rays They believed that eating chives would increase blood pressure and acted as a diuretic. Blood pressure is also the title of a short story by Damon Runyan in Guys and Dolls and Other Stories A diuretic is any Drug that elevates the rate of urination ( Diuresis)

Romanian Gypsies have used chives in fortune telling. ^[19]

It was believed that bunches of dried chives hung around a house would ward off disease and evil. ^[19]

Gallery

Clump of chives	Close-up of a chive flower	Close-up of a flower	Capsules with seeds
Close-up of a clump of chives	Chives flowering in a bed

See also

• Chinese chives

References

External links

• Nutritional Information
• Mrs. Grieve's "A Modern Herbal" @ Botanical. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. com
• Chives, history, clutivation, container growing and a recipe