Difference Between Chives and Green Onions

Chives vs Green Onions

Many are confused in distinguishing spices like green onions, chives, scallions, shallots, leeks, and onions. It is probably because they bear close resemblances with each other. This should not come as a surprise because all of which are part of the onion family. Nevertheless, there’s a very fine line that draws the difference between them, most especially with the first two mentioned.

Green onions are very identical to scallions and generic onions. They have greenish, thin stalks and white onion bulbs. However, the green onion bulb is smaller and looks underdeveloped as opposed to the ordinary onion bulbs. They also have a more restrained flavor and gentler taste than generic onions.

Chives are native spices from the central regions of Asia. Today, it is being grown all over Europe. But among the onion subspecies, chives are unarguably the smallest of them all particularly in terms of bulb size. Unlike green onions, they are very desirable for their leaves which are popularly used as flavoring. Chives also have a delicate taste which is perfect as a seasoning for many culinary dishes. Its leaves are hollow and tubular in nature. In addition, chives are sold in variants of fresh harvest, dried chives, and powdered forms.

Green onions are different because they are harvested because of their bulbs rather than the greenish stalks and leaves and because their bulbs are a little more developed than those belonging to the chives. But still, the green onions’ leaves are edible.

The two belong to the same Allium genera. However, green onions are known scientifically as Allium fistulosum while chives are Allium schoenoprasum. The latter are perennial plants (they recur or come back year after year, and their roots are left undisturbed during harvest) while the former are annual plants (everything is dug up or harvested whenever the stalks become brownish or fall over). Moreover, chives thrive during warmer seasons (i.e. summer and spring) while green onions are best grown during the coldest part of spring and the earliest eruption of summer.

In terms of use, chives are perfect in seasoning your salad preparations. You can also flavor your pancakes, cheeses, sandwiches, and soups among others with the use of them. They are also used for garnishing and are popular among the Japanese and Polish tongues. Similarly, green onions can also be added to sandwiches and most salads.

Summary:

1.Chives have smaller bulbs compared to green onions.
2.Chives are more popularly used because of their leaves while green onions are popularly used because of their bulbs.
3.Green onion is Allium fistulosum while chive is Allium schoenoprasum.
4.Green onions are annual plants whereas chives are perennial plants.

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