Wisconsin's rare plants

Wild chives is a perennial herbaceous plant with typically two narrow, round leaves and a scape that reaches up to almost 2' tall. The inflorescence is an umbel with many purple (or pale purple with a darker midrib) flowers. Individual flowers have six tepals. Wild chive flowers mature into capsules often hidden amongst the papery dried remains of the tepals. Inside the capsules are three small shiny black seeds.

Morphologically, Allium stellatum is probably the plant most likely to be confused with A schoenoprasum since they both have fairly tight umbels of pink flowers that are not nodding like those of A cernuum. However, A stellatum is a barrens plant while A schoenoprasum is known from a single rocky riverside in Wisconsin. It may be more difficult to distinguish the naturally occurring plants (sometimes referred to as variety sibiricum) from those that have escaped from cultivation (variety schoenoprasum). Botanists have tried to work out morphological differences between these plants, some do not recognize varieties at all, so habitat may be our best tool. The rocky northern habitat of the native is unlikely to be colonized by or support cultivated chives and could be used to distinguish those that are naturally occurring.

Plants emerge in June. Blooming occurs in July. Seeds mature in August and September.

Perennial. The optimal identification period for this species is June through August.

Wild chives is native to a broad swath of the northern hemisphere, but is also cultivated and can escape from plantings. The species is extremely variable so until further research can identify consistent morphological differences between the naturally occurring and cultivated plants, habitat can be used to distinguish them. Naturally occurring populations of wild chives will be located on rocky ledges and banks above rivers in northern Wisconsin while cultivated chives will be found near homesteads, in roadside ditches and other anthropogenically disturbed areas

Wild chives is found on dry and moist cliffs.

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are associated with habitats (or natural communities) and places on the landscape. Understanding relationships among SGCN, natural communities and ecological landscapes help us make decisions about issues affecting SGCN and their habitat and how to respond. Download the Wildlife Action Plan association score spreadsheet to explore rare species, natural communities and ecological landscape associations

Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.