White Chives (Allium schoenoprasum var. album)
AL-lee-um skoy-no-PRAY-sum variety AL-bum

Deciduous Perennial Mounded in the Amaryllidaceae Family
Very old heritage variety that came originally from Newfoundland; crisp, snow-white flowers over low mound of grassy foliage. Remove faded flowers to prevent self-seeding, as the resulting plants will revert to regular chives.
Allium schoenoprasum var. album is a white-flowered form of common chives, an heirloom selection said to originate in Newfoundland. Like the species, it forms a low, mounded clump of hollow, onion-scented leaves, but its flower heads open crisp white rather than the usual lavender-pink.

Pros

  • Crisp white flowers, a striking contrast to standard lavender-pink chives
  • Compact, mounded habit
  • Edible leaves and flowers with mild onion flavor
  • Long garden history as a heritage selection

Cons

  • Self-seeds readily; seedlings revert to ordinary lavender-pink chives
  • Deciduous, dies back in winter
  • Potentially toxic to cats, dogs, and horses if ingested
Why Like Valued as a rare white-flowered heirloom form of a familiar culinary herb, useful anywhere a paler accent among green foliage is wanted.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 6 - 8 inches tall. 12 - 18 inches wide.
Growth Rate Moderate
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium: Dry to medium moisture; drought tolerant once established.
Zones 2a - 9b (Usually hardy to -50° F)
Tags Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Bulbs for Fall Planting, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Dry, Edible Foliage, Edibles, Full Sun, Herb, Low Maintenance, Medium, Non-Allergenic, Perennial, Potentially Toxic, Rabbit Resistant, Repel Unwanted Pests, Showy Flowers
Bloom Period April to May
Flower Color White
Foliage Color Light Green
 

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 09/20
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 05/04 - 09/30

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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.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!