Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are popular in cuisine for their flavor.
They are also popular as a nectar plant for butterflies.
The nectar in chives' beautiful violet-tinted flowers especially is favored by five butterflies:
•spring azure,
•acmon blue,
•marine blue,
•creamy marblewing,
•orange sulphur.
 Allium schoenoprasum opens in New Hampshire. |
Allium schoenoprasum is commonly known as chives (Latin: cepa, "onion"). Its species name, schoenoprasum, highlights its relationship to leeks and the similarity of its leaves to rushes: Greek σχοῖνος, schoinos, "rush, grass" (genus Juncus) + πράσον, prason, "leek".
The only species of the genus Allium (Latin: “garlic”) that is native to both the New and Old Worlds, Allium schoenoprasum is a perennial with nativity in Europe, Asia, and North America.
 Allium schoenoprasum |
In North America, Allium schoenoprasum is native to both Canada and the United States.
Allium schoenoprasum is found throughout Canada’s provinces and territories, with the exception of Prince Edward Island and Nunavut.
Allium schoenoprasum originates in twenty-seven continental states of the United States: Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
In four states Allium schoenoprasum natively occurs in one county: Jackson County in northern Colorado, Essex County in northeastern Massachusetts, Boone County in central Missouri, and Nye County in southern Nevada.
U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zone Map: zones 5 to 10
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which zones plants according to the coldest temperature at which they remain viable, Allium schoenoprasum fits Zone 5 (-20° to -10°Fahrenheit; -29° to -23°Celsius) through Zone 10 (30° to 40°F; -1° to 4°C).
 closeup of Allium schoenoprasum floral head |
Allium schoenoprasum has a spread of 4 to 12 inches (10 to 30 centimeters). Its height ranges from 6 to 20 inches (15 to 50 centimeters).
Its aromatic foliage (scape), growing from densely clustered bulbs, is fine, grassy, hollow, and tubular.
Small bell-shaped flowers open as tints of violet.
Black seeds are plentiful and mature in summer.
 Amager Fælled, København ("Amager Commons, Copenhagen") |
All of Allium schoenoprasum is edible for humans, from bulbs at the bottom to seeds at the top. Nevertheless, culinary attention primarily seems focused on the plant's foliage, which has long been appreciated for its culinary affability in fresh and cooked foods. Baked potatoes are popularly topped with chives and sour cream. Chives add a gentle zest to cottage cheese and to vegetable or chicken salads. With their attractive green coloring and delicate taste, sliced chives complete any omelette, no matter how many other ingredients are combined therein. A smattering of chives coddles fish and enhances vegetable, meat, or fish soups and stews. Accommodating to an array of culinary categories, chives present a gentle flavor that is detectable but not overwhelming.
Chives' non-culinary forte is in companion planting as a natural repellent to insects, especially Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica). Also juice from the plant's leaves serves as a natural remedy for fungal infections, molds, and scabbed wounds.
 "Chives small three-valved capsule with seeds" |
Allium schoenoprasum attracts humans with its foliage, but butterflies attend to its flowers, which are edible for humans. Five butterflies who prize chive flowers are
 Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, Renton, Washington |
Celastrina ladon is commonly known as spring azure butterfly.
A native of the Americas, Celastrina ladon ranges from subtundra Alaska and Canada south to the mountains of Colombia (República de Colombia) in northwestern South America.
Celastrina ladon is found commonly throughout the continental United States, with the exception of the Texas coast, southern plains, and peninsular Florida.
Habitats desired by Celastrina ladon include fields, deciduous woodlands, freshwater wooded marshes, and swamps.
 Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon) |
Males have blue uppersides. Some blackening of forewing edges distinguishes females.
Wingspan is 7/8 to 1-3/8 inches (2.2 to 3.5 centimeters).
In addition to Allium schoenoprasum, Celastrina ladon appreciates dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), hyssops (genus Agastache), lavenders (genus Lavandula), and mints (genus Mentha).
 San Andres National Wildlife Refuge, Las Cruces, south central New Mexico |
Plebejus acmon is commonly known as acmon blue butterfly. Other scientific synonyms are Aricia acmon, Icaricia acmon, Lycaena acmon, Lycaena antaegon, and Rusticus acmon.
A North American native, Plebejus acmon is a westerner, mainly flitting around California but also making appearances in neighboring Oregon and Nevada as well as Baja California.
Plebejus acmon welcomes various habitats, from deserts to fields and from roadsides to prairie hills.
 White Slough, near Lodi, northern Central Valley, California |
Wingspan is 3/4 to 1-1/8 inches (2 to 2.9 centimeters).
Other nectar sought by Plebejus acmon includes lavenders (genus Lavandula), mints (genus Mentha), and thymes (genus Thymus).
 Roma, southern tip of Texas |
Leptotes marina is commonly known as marine blue butterfly. Other scientific synonyms are Lycaena marina and Leptotes burdicki.
A native of the Americas, Leptotes marina quietly slips from the Central American country of Guatemala (República de Guatemala) northward through Mexico, including the westernmost and northernmost Mexican state of Baja California (Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), and especially into the southwestern United States.
Wanderings for temporary colonizing extend east to Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, and Louisiana.
Favored habitats are the deserts and mesquite scrubs of the southwest along with alfalfa fields, deserts, and urban gardens.
 Lake Gregory, southern California |
The blue uppersides of males are tinged with purple. Undersides of forewings have pale brown bands.
Wingspan measures 7/8 to 1-1/8 inches (2.2 to 2.9 centimeters).
In addition to Allium schoenoprasum, Leptotes marina is thrilled by dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), goldenrods (genus Solidago), lavenders (genus Lavandula), and mints (genus Mentha).
 Ashland, southwestern Oregon |
Euchloe ausonides is commonly known as creamy or large marblewing butterfly.
A New World native, Euchloe ausonides ranges from Alaska eastward to southwest Manitoba and southward to central California and northern New Mexico.
With a preference for sunny openness, Euchloe ausonides seeks out fields, hillsides, meadows, and valleys.
 Caribou Bog, near Nederland, southwestern Boulder County, north central Colorado |
The upperside of forewings are tipped with a pattern of black scattered with white.
Undersides of hindwings are marbled densely with green.
Wingspan is 1-1/2 to 2 inches (3.8 to 5.1 centimeters).
In addition to Allium schoenoprasum, Euchloe ausonides absolutely adores mustards (genus Brassica), which draw the petite beauty to many gardens. Dame’s rocket (Hesperis matronalis), clovers (genus Trifolium), and violets (genus Viola) are also favorites.
 Wildwood Preserve Metropark, Toledo, northwestern Ohio |
Colias eurytheme is commonly known as orange sulphur butterfly.
This American native flutters from southern Canada to central Mexico.
A bicoastal denizen, Colias eurytheme flashes its colors everywhere in the continental states except for peninsular Florida.
Openness appeals to Colias eurytheme. Preferred habitats are alfalfa and clover fields, meadows, and roadsides.
 Scarborough, eastern Toronto, southern Ontario, east central Canad |
Basic male coloring presents uppersides of rich orange to golden yellow bordered with black and distinguished with a dark black cell spot. Females may range from yellow to white with spots surrounded by irregular black borders.
Wingspan measures 1-3/8 to 2-3/4 inches (3.5 to 7 centimeters).
In addition to Allium schoenoprasum, Colias eurytheme enthuses over asters (genus Aster), butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), marigolds (genus Tagetes), and mints (genus Mentha).
 Botanical Garden Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany |
Allium schoenoprasum provides gustatory pleasure to Homo sapiens as well as to butterflies. Fortunately, these faunal groupings in the kingdom Animalia dine on different parts of chives plants. Humans partake of the foliage, which is richly green and enhances culinary flavors. Butterflies, on the other hand, imbibe nectar from the lovely pastel flowers. Both derive great satisfaction as consumers of this pleasant, pleasing plant that, with its straightforward, graceful outlines, uplifts its surroundings, in the wild, in public or private gardens.
And as a delicious ingredient of faunal nourishment, Allium schoenoprasum appears to wish, to one and all: "Bon appétit!"
 garden in Belgium |
My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.
 chive flower vinegar |
Allium schoenoprasum opens in New Hampshire: Captain-tucker, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Allium_schoenoprasum_in_NH_03.jpg
Allium schoenoprasum: Fornax, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Allium_schoenoprasum_W.jpg
closeup of Allium schoenoprasum floral head: pixhektar, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/pixhektar/5755321653/
Amager Fælled, København ("Amager Commons, Copenhagen"): Jann Kuusisaari, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/jann_kuusisaari/5676421319/
"Chives small three-valved capsule with seeds": Noebse, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chives_small_three-valved_capsule_with_seeds.jpg
Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, Renton, Washington: Walter Siegmund, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Celastrina_ladon_03745.JPG
Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon): Megan McCarty, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spring_Azure,_Megan_McCarty115.jpg
San Andres National Wildlife Refuge, Las Cruces, south central New Mexico: M. Weisenberger/USFWS, Public Domain, via San Andres National Wildlife Refuge Photo Gallery @ https://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/newmex/sanandres/Photoshop_gallery/Invertebrates/index.html
White Slough, near Lodi, northern Central Valley, California: Calibas, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Plebejus_acmon2.jpg
Roma, southern tip of Texas: Bill Bouton, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Encyclopedia of Life @ https://eol.org/pages/269634/media/ (specific EOL image URL @ https://eol.org/media/9536883)
Lake Gregory, southern California: siamesepuppy, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/siamesepuppy/7958296856/
Ashland, southwestern Oregon: Bill Bouton, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Encyclopedia of Life @ https://eol.org/pages/174202/media/ (specific EOL image URL @ https://eol.org/media/9541329)
Caribou Bog, near Nederland, southwestern Boulder County, north central Colorado: Bill Bouton, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Encyclopedia of Life@ https://eol.org/pages/174202/media/ (specific EOL image URL @ https://eol.org/media/9541328)
Wildwood Preserve Metropark, Toledo, northwestern Ohio: Benny Mazur (Benimoto), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/benimoto/1519079685/
Scarborough, eastern Toronto, southern Ontario, east central Canad: outdoors2magic, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colias_eurytheme_outdoors2magic.jpg
Botanical Garden Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Allium_schoenoprasum_001.JPG
garden in Belgium: Jamain, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Allium_schoenoprasum_J1.JPG
chive flower vinegar: Jax House, CC BY SA 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/jaxhouse/5786047479/
"Spirou in allium schoenoprasum"; Les Bulles, Luxembourg province, southern Belgium: Alexandre Dulaunoy, CC BY SA 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/adulau/2473960581/
"Acmon Blue Plebejus Acmon (Westwood, [1851])." Butterflies and Moths of North America > Species. Butterfly and Moth Information Network: Kelly Lotts and Thomas Naberhaus. Web. www.butterfliesandmoths.org/
“Chive (Allium schoenoprasum L.).” Gernot Katzer’s Spice Pages. www.unigraz.
at/~katzer/engl/
Flora: A Gardener’s Encyclopedia. Volume I: A-K. Portland OR: Timber Press, 2003.
"Large Marble Euchloe ausonides (Lucas, 1852)." Butterflies and Moths of North America > Species. Butterfly and Moth Information Network: Kelly Lotts and Thomas Naberhaus. Web. www.butterfliesandmoths.org/
"Marine Blue Leptotes marina (Reakirt, 1868)." Butterflies and Moths of North America > Species. Butterfly and Moth Information Network: Kelly Lotts and Thomas Naberhaus. Web. www.butterfliesandmoths.org/
"Orange Sulphur Colias eurytheme (Boisduval, 1852)." Butterflies and Moths of North America > Species. Butterfly and Moth Information Network: Kelly Lotts and Thomas Naberhaus. Web. www.butterfliesandmoths.org/
Ortho's All About Attracting Hummingbirds and Butterflies. Des Moines IA: Meredith Books, 2001.
Roth, Sally. Attracting Butterflies & Hummingbirds to Your Backyard. Rodale Organic Gardening Book. Emmaus PA: Rodale, 2001.
"Spring Azure Celastrina ladon (Cramer, 1780)." Butterflies and Moths of North America > Species. Butterfly and Moth Information Network: Kelly Lotts and Thomas Naberhaus. Web. www.butterfliesandmoths.org/
 "Spirou in allium schoenoprasum"; Les Bulles, Luxembourg province, southern Belgium |
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Comments
Mira, Butterflies are indicators of the environment but they also go through cycles of plentiful and thinning populations.
The main county library here seems to be on a butterfly path because, as I rest my eyes from the computer, I see them flying high up one wall of the high-soaring windows and, after a few moments, swooping down along the opposite wall of windows.
May butterflies return to Bucharest.
The butterflies are so pretty. I wonder where they all have gone here in Bucharest. Do you see butterflies when you visit parks in cities. I don't! Isn't that strange?
frankbeswick, Assuredly the bees appreciate your thoughtfulness in allocating some of your chives for them. Actions such as yours contribute to harmony and balance in nature and in the world. They say that bees recognize faces and silhouettes (probably voices as well!), so you aren't a stranger to the bees who make a "bee-line" for your chives.
Chives are bee-friendly plants. I do not harvest them all on my plot, but leave some for the bees. You can see plenty of them feeding on the chive flowers.
The similarity of their leaves to rushes is due to the fact that rushes and members of the allium family [leeks,onions, chives] are a monocots, which is an order of plants that have long thin leaves and parallel veins.
2uesday, Definitely chives are cooperative about garden growing, including containers. Chives do seem to enjoy container growing, so they're also great for a window herb garden. Such a treat to grow chives, isn't it?