How big does Chives grow?

About 45 cm × 45 cm after ten years (height × width). Its ultimate size is 30–50 cm × 30–45 cm.

What soil does Chives grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, clay, sandy, calcareous.

Hardy down to -34 °C (USDA zone 4, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

How much water does Chives need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: medium.

How much does Chives cost?

It sells for roughly €3.50 to €5 in local shops, depending on size.

Chives

Allium schoenoprasum

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) is a perennial that reaches 45 cm × 45 cm after ten years. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -34 °C. Drought tolerance: medium. Toxic to dogs and cats. Sold in local shops from about €3.50.

Illustration of Chives — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

A kitchen garden perennial that forms dense, grassy clumps: you can cut its hollow, onion-flavoured leaves from spring to autumn, and the purple globe flowers of late spring are edible and draw bees. It grows in sun or part shade in almost any garden soil that drains well, and works as an edging, in the herb bed or in a pot. It seeds itself around unless you remove the spent flowers, dies back for winter and is among the first plants to sprout in early spring.

Watch out for

It seeds freely from spent flower heads, so cut it back after flowering if you do not want it to spread. In waterlogged, poorly drained soil the clump rots. Leek moth caterpillars, onion downy mildew and onion white rot can attack it, but serious trouble is rare. Crowded clumps are worth dividing every few years in spring or autumn.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Medium
Care: Low
Size after 10 years: 45 cm × 45 cm
Hardiness: down to -34 °C
Foliage: Deciduous
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D May–July, purple

Group	Perennial
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	45 cm × 45 cm
Ultimate size	30–50 cm × 30–45 cm
Hardiness	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous
Foliage	Deciduous
Flowering	May–July, purple
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium
Maintenance	Low
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no data
Spreading	Medium
Distance from buildings	no data
Distance from paving	no data
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	25 cm
For dogs	Toxic
For cats	Toxic
For children	Non-toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	from about €3.50

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Sizes and prices available

The same plant is sold as a small pot and as a specimen several metres tall, and the price follows. Prices are rounded and for guidance only.

Size	Typical price
size not stated	approx. €3.50 – €5

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 13, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Perennials for part shade Perennials for full sun Perennials for clay soil Perennials for pollinators Plants for containers Low-maintenance perennials Fragrant plants Fragrant perennials

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