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Hyacinthus orientalis

Image of Hyacinthus orientalis

Gerald L. Klingaman

Family

Liliaceae

Botanical Name

Hyacinthus orientalis

Plant Common Name

Hyacinth

General Description

Hyacinth is the familiar perennial bulb grown for its upright clusters of highly fragrant tightly-packed waxy flowers. Imported long ago from its home in western Asia, it has been bred extensively, mainly by Dutch growers, to produce a range of colors from white through yellow and pink to red, blue and purple, ss many as 40 flowers in each cluster.

Hyacinth grows and flowers best in well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. In damp conditions, it is prone to molds and rot. Plant the bulbs in fall three to six times deeper than they are wide and deepest in cold climates. Bulbs left in the ground tend to make smaller, looser clusters over time and will persist only in cold climates. They are best treated as annuals in warm climates. Planted in groups, hyacinth makes a showy bedding plant, or a spring herald in mixed borders. It can be grown in containers using pre-chilled bulbs. It will also flower in a hyacinth glass, a vessel that holds the bulb just touching the surface of a reservoir of water in which roots grow.

Characteristics

  • AHS Heat Zone

    9 - 1

  • USDA Hardiness Zone

    5 - 9

  • Sunset Zone

    8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

  • Plant Type

    Bulb or Corm or Tuber

  • Sun Exposure

    Full Sun, Partial Sun

  • Height

    0"-12" / 0.0cm - 30.5cm

  • Width

    0"-6" / 0.0cm - 15.2cm

  • Bloom Time

    Spring

  • Native To

    Mediterranean, Turkey, Western Asia

Growing Conditions

  • Soil pH

    Acidic, Neutral

  • Soil Drainage

    Well Drained

  • Soil type

    Clay, Loam, Sand

  • Growth Rate

    Medium

  • Water Requirements

    Average Water

  • Habit

    Upright/Erect

  • Seasonal Interest

    Spring

Ornamental Features

  • Flower Interest

    Showy

  • Flower Color

    White, Red, Blue, Purple, Light Yellow, Pink, Rose

  • Foliage Color (Spring)

    Green

  • Fragrant Flowers

    Yes

  • Fragrant Fruit

    No

  • Fragrant Foliage

    No

  • Bark or Stem Fragrant

    No

  • Flower Petal Number

    Single, Double, Semi-Double

  • Repeat Bloomer

    No

  • Showy Fruit

    No

  • Edible Fruit

    No

  • Showy Foliage

    No

  • Foliage Texture

    Medium

  • Foliage Sheen

    Glossy

  • Evergreen

    No

  • Showy Bark

    No

Special Characteristics

  • Usage

    Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall

  • Sharp or Has Thorns

    No

  • Invasive

    No

  • Attracts

    Butterflies

  • Self-Sowing

    No