What to Do With the Purple Flowers Which Grow on Chives

Culinary Use

• Chive blossoms make a colorful garnish in many fresh and baked dishes. Snip the blooms at their base and cut the flowers in half, or use them whole. Wash them and sprinkle the blossoms or petals over salads and other dishes for a fresh, mild onion flavor. Mix them with cream cheese, sour cream, green onions and pepper for a flavorful cheese spread, or add them to vinegar for flavor. Place chive blossoms in a brown bag and store them in a cool, dry location for up to three weeks to dry them. Store the dried chives in plastic bags or glass jars. Use only chives free of herbicides and pesticides in food.

Flower Arrangements

• Cut chive blossom stems at the soil level and place them in a vase with spring wild flowers and bulbs for an unusual addition to cut flower arrangements. The flowers have a slight onion aroma, so display them with fragrant flowers, such as peonies or lilacs, that will hide their smell. Pair fresh chives with poppies, iris, daffodils or daisies for a natural display. Chive blossoms don't hold up well in dried arrangements, but tend to fall apart.

Garden Uses

• Leave the blossoms on the plant for a colorful addition to the herb garden. Grow chives in a large pot with pansies and flowering cabbage for a striking spring container arrangement. Tuck chives among the vegetables in the vegetable garden to deter rabbits. Cut the flowering stems back to soil level when the flowers begin to fade. This prevents the chive plant from producing seed, which reduces vigor and quality of flavor.

Growing Conditions

• Chives are one of the easiest herbs to grow. Tuck them into a sunny garden location or plant them with perennials. They tolerate partial shade, although they grow best with at least six hours of sunlight daily. The flowers bloom in late spring and summer only, but the foliage continues to grow well into the winter. Divide chives every two to three years to increase vigor.