Chives

Chives  
Allium schoenoprasum
Chives are the smallest species of the edible onions. A perennial plant, they are native to Europe, Asia and North America. It is the only species of Allium native to both the New and the Old World.
The name of the species derives from the Greek skhoínos (sedge) and práson (leek). Its English name, chive, derives from the French word cive, from cepa, the Latin word for onion.





Chives are a commonly used household herb, frequently grown in gardens and found in grocery stores. In culinary use, chives leaves (straws) are shredded for use as a seasoning for fish, potatoes, soups, and other dishes. Chives have insect-repelling properties that can be used in gardens to control pests.

Chives have been cultivated in Europe since the Middle Ages, although signs of its usage date back to 5000 years ago. They were sometimes referred to as "rush leeks" (from the Greek schoinos meaning rush and parson meaning leek). The Romans believed chives could relieve the pain from sunburn or a sore throat. They believed that eating chives could increase blood pressure and act as a diuretic. Romanian Gypsies have used chives in fortune telling. It was believed that bunches of dried chives hung around a house would ward off disease and evil.
-Wikipedia, Chives
Photography (c) Maranda L. Scott