Garlic Chives, Chinese chives, Oriental Chives,
Allium tuberosum
Family: Alliaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: White. Main Bloom Time: Early fall, Late summer, Late fall, Mid fall. Form: Upright or erect.
Allium tuberosum is a BULB growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from August to September, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
Height (m): 0.3
Where it is found
Not known in a truly wild situation.
E. Asia? Original habitat is obscure.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 5
Leaves - raw or cooked. A mild flavour, somewhat like a cross between garlic and chives, they are delicious in salads. The flavour is destroyed by lengthy cooking. The leaves are available from early spring until late in the autumn. They contain about 2.6% protein, 0.6% fat, 2.4% carbohydrate, 0.95% ash. They also contain small amounts of vitamins A, B1 and C. The rather small bulbs are about 10mm in diameter and are produced in clusters on a short rhizome. Flowers and flower buds - raw or cooked. A delicious flavouring and pretty garnish for the autumn salad bowl. Root - raw or cooked. An edible oil is obtained from the seed.
Oil: Oil
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The whole plant is antibacterial, cardiac, depurative, digestive, stimulant, stomachic and tonic. It is an anti-emetic herb that improves kidney function. It is used internally to treat urinary incontinence, kidney and bladder weaknesses etc. The seed is carminative and stomachic. They are used in India in the treatment of spermatorrhoea. The leaves and the bulbs are applied to bites, cuts and wounds.
Antibacterial: Kills bacteria.
Cardiac: Used in the treatment of heart problems.
Digestive: Aids digestion.
Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.
Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
Urinary: Treats urinary problems, including urinary tract infection (UTI).
Other
Rating: 3
The juice of the plant is used as a moth repellent. The whole plant is said to repel insects and moles.
Oil: Vegetable oils have many uses, as lubricants, lighting, soap and paint making, waterproofing etc. This does not include the edible oils unless they are also mentioned as having other uses.
Repellent: Plants that are said to deter but not necessarily kill various mammals, birds, insects etc.
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Border, Container, Ground cover, Rock garden. An easily grown plant, it prefers a sunny position in a rich moist but well-drained soil. Tolerates most soils, including clay. Tolerant of dry soils, established plants also resist drought. Tolerates some shade, even in N.W. England. The roots penetrate up to 50cm into the soil. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.2 to 8.3. This plant succeeds in temperate and tropical climates. It appears to be fully hardy in Britain. Plants tolerate 40 degrees of frost in Manchuria (the report does not say if this is fahrenheit or centigrade). Plants remain green until temperatures fall below 4 - 5°c, they come into new growth in spring when temperatures go above 2 - 3°c. Often cultivated for its edible leaves and bulb in the Orient, there are many named varieties. There are two main types of cultivar, one is grown for its leaves and the other for its flowering stem.This species is being increasingly grown as a garden vegetable in Britain. A very ornamental plant, it grows well as an edging plant in the flower garden. Closely related to A. ramosum. The bulbs should be planted fairly deeply. Grows well with most plants, especially roses, carrots, beet and chamomile, but it inhibits the growth of legumes. This plant is a bad companion for alfalfa, each species negatively affecting the other. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer. Special Features: Edible, Fragrant foliage, Not North American native, Invasive, Suitable for cut flowers, Suitable for dried flowers, Fragrant flowers. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 9 through 1. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread. The root pattern is a bulb.
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. The seed has a fairly short viability and should not be used when more than 1 year old. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle - if you want to produce clumps more quickly then put three plants in each pot. Plant out in late summer if the plants have developed sufficiently, otherwise plant them out the following spring. Division in early spring. Very easy, the plants divide successfully at almost any time of the year. The divisions can be planted straight out into their permanent positions if required.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Bulb
Hardiness: 4-8
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
Although no individual reports regarding this species have been seen, there have been cases of poisoning caused by the consumption, in very large quantities and by some mammals, of certain members of this genus. Dogs seem to be particularly susceptible.