Allium tuberosum

Allium tuberosum (garlic chives, Oriental garlic, Asian chives, Chinese chives, Chinese leek) is a species of plant native to the Chinese province of Shanxi, and cultivated and naturalized elsewhere in Asia and around the world.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn It has a number of uses in Asian cuisine.

Description

Allium tuberosum is a rhizomatous, clump-forming perennial plant growing from a small, elongated bulb (about Template:Convert, across) that is tough and fibrous.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn Unlike either onion or garlic, it has strap-shaped leaves with triangular bases, about Template:Convert wide.Template:Sfn It produces many white flowers in a round cluster (umbel) on stalks Template:Convert tall. It grows in slowly expanding perennial clumps, but also readily sprouts from seed. In warmer areas (USDA zone 8 and warmer), garlic chives may remain green all year round. In cold areas (USDA zones 7 to 4b), leaves and stalks completely die back to the ground, and resprout from roots or rhizomes in the spring.

The flavor is more like garlic than chives.Template:Sfn

Taxonomy

Originally described by Johan Peter Rottler, the species name was validly published by Curt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel in 1825.Template:Sfn A. tuberosum is classified within Allium in subgenus Butomissa (Salisb.) N. Friesen, section Butomissa (Salisb.) Kamelin, a group consisting of only A. tuberosum and A. ramosum L.,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn which have been variously regarded as either one or two genetic entities.Template:Sfn

Distribution and habitat

Allium tuberosum originated in the Siberian–Mongolian–North Chinese steppes,Template:Sfn but is widely cultivated and naturalised. It has been reported as growing wild in scattered locations in the United States (Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Nebraska, Alabama, Iowa, Arkansas, and Wisconsin).Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn However, it is believed to be more widespread in North America because of the availability of seeds and seedlings of this species as an exotic herb and because of its high aggressiveness. This species is also widespread across much of mainland EuropeTemplate:Sfn and invasive in other areas of the world.Template:Sfn

Ecology

A late summer- to autumn-blooming plant,Template:Sfn A. tuberosum is one of several Allium species known as wild onion and/or wild garlic that, in various parts of the world, such as Australia, are listed as noxious weeds or as invasive "serious high impact environmental and/or agricultural weeds that spread rapidly and often create monocultures".Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Cultivation

File:HK 深水埗 Sham Shui Po 104 福華街 Fuk Wa Street 圓方餃子粥麵 Yuen Fong restaurant green 韮菜 Allium tuberosum Dec 2018 SSG 01.jpg

Garlic chives being sold in Hong Kong

Often grown as an ornamental plant in gardens, several cultivars are available. A. tuberosum is distinctive by blooming later than most native or naturalised species of Allium.Template:Sfn It is cold-hardy to USDA zones 4–10 (Template:Convert).Template:Sfn Garlic chives are regarded as easy to grow in many conditions and may spread readily by seeds or can be intentionally propagated by dividing their clumps.

A number of varieties have been developed for either improved leaf (e.g. 'Shiva') or flower stem (e.g. 'Nien Hua') production.Template:Sfn While the emphasis in Asia has been primarily culinary, in North America, the interest has been more as an ornamental.Template:Sfn 'Monstrosum' is a giant ornamental cultivar.Template:Sfn

Uses

Uses include as ornamental plants, including cut and dried flowers, and as a culinary herb. Garlic chives have been widely cultivated for centuries in East Asia for their culinary value. The flat leaves, the stalks, and immature, unopened flower buds are used as flavouring.Template:Sfn Another form is "blanched" by regrowing after cutting under cover to produce white-yellow leaves and a subtler flavor.Template:Sfn

China

The leaves are used as a flavoring in a similar way to chives or scallions, and as a stir fry ingredient. They are often used in dumplings with eggs, shrimp, and/or pork. A Chinese flatbread similar to the scallion pancake may be made with garlic chives instead of scallions. Garlic chives are also one of the main ingredients used with yi mein dishes. Its flowers are fermented to make garlic chive flower sauce ().

When the leaves of garlic chives are blanched by growing them in dark environments these are called Template:Transliteration () or Template:Transliteration (), known in English as yellow garlic chives. These are considered a delicacy and are used in various stir fry dishes.

• Jiucai hezi, or chive pockets
  Jiucai hezi, or chive pockets
• Jiucai hezi, cut open
  Jiucai hezi, cut open
• Stir-fried liver and garlic chives
  Stir-fried liver and garlic chives

India

In Manipur and other northeastern states of India, it is grown and used as a substitute for garlic and onion in cooking and is known as maroi nakuppi in Manipuri.

Japan

In Japan, where the plant is known as Template:Transliteration (), it is used both for its garlic-like flavor and its sweetness, in miso soups and salads, stir-fries with eggs, and Japanese dishes such as gyōza dumplings and fried liver.

Central Asia

In Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, where the plant has been introduced through cultivation by Dungan farmers and ties with neighboring China, garlic chives are known by transliterations of their name. Used in cooking, it is sometimes added as a filling to manty, samsa, laghman, yuta, ashlan-fu, and other typical dishes.

Korea

Known as Template:Transliteration (), garlic chives are widely used in Korean cuisine. They can be eaten fresh as Template:Transliteration, pickled as kimchi and Template:Transliteration, and pan-fried in Template:Transliteration (pancake). They are also one of the most common herbs served with Template:Transliteration (soup with rice), as well as a common ingredient in Template:Transliteration (dumplings).

• Template:Transliteration (garlic chive pancakes)
  Template:Transliteration (garlic chive pancakes)
• Template:Transliteration (garlic chive fresh kimchi)
  Template:Transliteration (garlic chive fresh kimchi)
• Template:Transliteration (garlic chive kimchi)
  Template:Transliteration (garlic chive kimchi)
• Template:Transliteration (loach soup) served with garlic chives
  Template:Transliteration (loach soup) served with garlic chives
• Template:Transliteration (jaecheop clam soup) with chopped garlic chives in it
  Template:Transliteration (jaecheop clam soup) with chopped garlic chives in it
• Garlic chive buchimgae (pancake)
  Garlic chive buchimgae (pancake)

Nepal

In Nepal, cooks fry a curried vegetable dish of potatoes and A. tuberosum known as dunduko sag.Template:Sfn

Vietnam

In Vietnam, the leaves of garlic chives, known as , are cut up into short pieces and used as the only vegetable in a broth with sliced pork kidneys.Template:Sfn

Gallery

• Growing as garden herb
  Growing as garden herb
• Inflorescence
  Inflorescence
• Individual flower
  Individual flower
• Seeds of garlic chives
  Seeds of garlic chives
• Fruit and seeds
  Fruit and seeds

Bibliography

Articles and chapters

• in Template:Harvtxt
• , in Template:Harvtxt

Websites

• Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng. Medicinal Plant Images Database (School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University) Template:In lang Template:In lang
• Template:Dead link

External links

• Template:Commons and category inline
• Template:Wikispecies-inline
• Template:PFAF