365 Urban Species. #009: Chives
Jan. 9th, 2006 08:30 pm
Urban species #009: Chives Allium schoenoprasum
It is January and the grass has faded to pale yellow or brown, but in the urban lawn there is green. Tufts of it, like the hair of wild green people buried in the dirt, protrude here and there. Looking closely, you can see that each strand is round in cross-section, not flat like grass. Picking it, you smell the sting of onion. Yes, indeed, there are wild chives growing in the city. Cultivated plants can easily escape from gardens--they merely need the wind or a bird to carry their seed away. Other urban species encourage chives, by not feeding on them: a flock of Canada geese will nibble the grass back to the bare dirt, but leave the chives alone. If you choose, you may harvest the chives to chop finely into your cream cheese. Wash thoroughly, as the parks are full of dogs, who love to mark the chives with their own flavor.