Mark Kane
Family
Liliaceae
Botanical Name
Muscari
Plant Common Name
Grape Hyacinth
General Description
Early and long-blooming, grape hyacinths are dependable plant-and-forget flowering bulbs. There are approximately 40 species in the genus Muscari, and most are native to the Mediterranean and southwestern Asia.
The herbaceous perennials send up somewhat fleshy, linear to spatula-shaped green leaves from a small, brown bulb covered with a papery brown skin. Most of the species are diminutive and produce only a few leaves. Showy, often grape-like clusters of small flowers appear at the top of slender leafless stems. The tiny flowers can be shaped like rounded or tubular bells. These are most often in shades of blue, purple and white but there are also species with yellow and olive-colored blooms. The flowers commonly appear in the spring, though a few bloom in the fall.
Muscari prefer full to partial sun and require average to fertile soil with good drainage. After blooming, their leaves will disappear underground only to reappear in fall and survive through winter until plants flower again in spring.
The most commonly grown species is Muscari armeniacum which originates in southeastern Europe and Turkey and bears small spikes of showy, blue-purple flowers in spring. Other popular species include Muscari comosum, which has larger, more open, purple blooms; the cultivar ‘Plumosum’ has feathery plume-like flowers.
Best planted in masses, grape hyacinths will offer bright color and fragrant blooms to any container or sunny garden. They are good for naturalizing. When clumps become too crowded, lift and divided them when dormant in summer or early fall. Some species are also good for forcing and all make superb long-lasting cut flowers.
Growing Conditions
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Water Requirements
Average Water
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Habit
Clump-Forming
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
White, Yellow, Blue, Purple, Pink, Olive, Blue Violet
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Fruit Color
Brown, Black
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Glossy
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Evergreen
No
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Showy Bark
No
