Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum)
[AL-lee-um too-ber-OH-sum]

Deciduous Perennial Upright, Clump-forming in the Amaryllidaceae Family
A vigorous, garlic-flavored relative of chives, topped in late summer with rounded clusters of star-shaped, creamy-white flowers that bees and butterflies flock to. Easy to grow - almost too easy, since it self-seeds freely.
Native to a broad swath of eastern Asia, from the Himalaya into China, garlic chives have been cultivated as a culinary herb for centuries and are a staple in many Asian cuisines. The flat, grass-like leaves carry a garlicky rather than oniony flavor and can be harvested through much of the growing season, while the flat-topped clusters of small white flowers appear later than most other alliums, in late summer, and are a valuable nectar source for pollinators at a time when fewer other plants are blooming.

Pros

  • Edible, garlic-flavored leaves and flowers, useful in the kitchen through much of the season
  • Late-summer bloom time fills a nectar gap for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators
  • Deer and rabbit resistant, tolerant of a wide range of soils

Cons

  • Self-seeds aggressively and can become weedy if flowers are not deadheaded before seed set
  • Like all alliums, toxic to cats, dogs, and other pets if eaten
Why Like A dependable, low-fuss herb that pulls double duty as an ornamental and a kitchen staple: the garlicky leaves are useful fresh through most of the growing season, and the late-summer flower clusters draw in pollinators at a time when many other garden plants have already finished blooming.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 12 - 24 inches tall. 12 - 24 inches wide.
Growth Rate Moderate
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium: Tolerates dry to medium moisture; drought tolerant once established.
Zones 3a - 9b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Bulbs for Fall Planting, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Disease Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Extended Bloom Time, Fragrant Flowers, Fragrant Foliage, Full Sun, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Mass Planting, Low Maintenance, Medium, Most Popular, Naturalizing, Non-Allergenic, Normal Soil, Ornamental, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Potentially Toxic, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Loamy Soil, Tolerant of Poor Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Well-Drained Soil
Bloom Period August to September
Flower Color Creamy White
Foliage Color Gray-Green
 

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 02/05 - 05/10
2024 : 02/08 - 05/18
2023 : 04/13 - 06/04


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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

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