Herb Chives Cipollina

Chives Cipollina is a classic culinary herb grown for its fine, tubular green leaves and mild onion-like flavour. It is easy to grow and useful in both herb gardens and kitchen containers, making it a practical choice for home cooks and gardeners.

The plants form attractive clumps of narrow leaves reaching around 12–18 inches high. In bloom, they produce decorative ball-shaped lavender-pink flowers, which can also be used as an edible garnish when young.

Chives are excellent for adding fresh flavour to salads, eggs, potatoes, cheese dips, casseroles, soups, stews, and sauces. The leaves quickly regrow after cutting, allowing repeated harvests through the growing season. They can also be dried or frozen for later use.

Key Features

• Popular culinary herb
• Mild onion-like flavour
• Narrow, grass-like tubular leaves
• Forms clumps around 12–18 inches high
• Decorative lavender-pink flowers
• Young flowers can be used as edible garnish
• Leaves regrow quickly after cutting
• Suitable for pots, herb beds, windowsills, and gardens
• Easy to grow

Growing Information

• Sow indoors from March for an early start
• Sow thinly in pots or trays
• Cover seeds with around ¼ inch of fine compost
• Keep soil moderately moist during germination
• Germination: 10–14 days
• Sow outdoors after frost risk has passed through to September
• Thin seedlings when around 2 inches high
• Final spacing: 12–18 inches apart
• Best grown in a warm, sunny position
• Harvest continuously once mature
• For best flavour and texture, harvest before flowering
• Snip leaves at the base to encourage fresh growth
• Can be grown indoors on a windowsill during winter