Grape Hyacinth

Description:

Grape Hyacinth, otherwise known as Muscari, are actually not Hyacinths at all. They are members of the Lily family, and are native to the Mediterranean area and Asia Minor. They are small plants, usually not much more than 10 inches tall, and produce blue or purple petals that are fused together and have small white tips, giving them a grape like appearance, and they have sort of a musky-grassy smell. Grape Hyacinths do well from zone 3 to zone 9, so they are a viable option for most of us. They are also one of the plants to choose if deer are a problem in your area.

Habitat:

zone 3 to zone 9

Notes:

Bulbs should be planted in the fall. In established plantings, the leaves will emerge in late summer and persist through the winter, making a nice looking winter border along paths, etc. They will tolerate very cold weather, down to at least zero, but may experience some damage in extreme weather. They flower in early to mid-spring, and after flowering, as with most bulbs, the leaves should be left intact until they die back. They are propagated by seed or by separating their bulb offsets, which is the more common way.