© No part of this may be copied, printed or distributed without written permission – Susan Garrett

The chive is the smallest member of the onion family. It can be grown from seed but most people buy a plant and divide it. It has hollow leaves like the onion and is grown as a herb.

A chive plant will grow year after year making a larger clump as it grows. Although sometimes the leaves disappear in winter. The leaves are used raw, chopped up to sprinkle on salads or soups etc. It also has very pretty purple flowers that are loved by bees. The flowers produce lots of seeds which also grow into new young plants.

There is also a type of chive called garlic chive which smells of garlic.