Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Garlic Chives: A Kitchen Herb That Blooms When Lavender Rests
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Garlic chives are the herb-garden workhorse that most people meet once and then never stop growing. The flat, gray-green leaves taste of mild garlic, ready to snip whenever dinner needs a lift, and in late summer the clump sends up loose clusters of white, star-shaped flowers with a surprisingly sweet scent.
They also play well with lavender. Both are tough, low-water perennials, and the chives bloom in August, after the main lavender show has been harvested.
Garlic chives at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Allium tuberosum |
| Leaves | Flat, narrow, gray-green, mild garlic flavor |
| Flowers | White, star-shaped, fragrant, in loose 2 to 3 inch clusters |
| Size | 10 to 20 inches tall, 8 to 12 inches wide; flower stalks can rise higher |
| Bloom | Starts early August, peaks late August |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3a to 9b |
| Water | Low once established |
| Wildlife | Great for pollinators; deer resistant |
Why it pairs with lavender
Garlic chives and lavender like the same treatment: sun, drainage and a light hand with the hose. Wet soil rots chive bulbs just as it rots lavender crowns. Planted along the edge of a lavender bed or in a kitchen garden nearby, the slim gray-green leaves blend with lavender's silver tones, and the white flowers carry pollinator traffic into late summer. Bees and butterflies that worked the lavender in July find something new in August.
Deer tend to leave both plants alone, which makes the pairing handy along open edges. Sketch a herb border in the Companion Plant Planner.
Harvesting and using the leaves
- When: snip leaves once the clump is well established, cutting a few inches above the base.
- How much: take a handful at a time and the plant regrows quickly through the season.
- In the kitchen: add the leaves to salads, egg dishes, soups, stews and stir-fries. They are best added near the end of cooking.
- Flowers: the white blossoms are edible as a garnish and make a pretty finish on a plate.
Keeping it in bounds
The clump expands slowly, but the seeds are another story. Garlic chives seed themselves freely, and a single summer of neglect can mean seedlings in every crack of the garden. Cut the flower stalks as soon as the blooms fade, or harvest them for arrangements, since the flowers are good for cutting and drying. Usually trouble-free, it can develop bulb rot in wet soil, and occasionally downy mildew.
Choosing a size
Garlic chives are offered as a 3-inch plug, a 4-inch pot and a 1-gallon pot. Plugs are an economical way to plant a long edge; gallon pots give you a clump ready to harvest sooner. The plant is fully hardy here, dying back to the ground in winter and returning each spring. See the product page for current sizes and availability.
Frequently asked questions
How are garlic chives different from regular chives?
Regular chives have hollow, round leaves with an onion flavor and pink-purple spring flowers. Garlic chives have flat leaves, a garlic flavor and white flowers in late summer.
Will it grow in a pot?
Yes. Use a container with a drainage hole and well-drained mix, and keep it near the kitchen door for easy snipping.
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