Hyacinthus orientalis

It is a bulbous plant, with a 3–7 cm (1.2–2.8 in) diameter bulb. The leaves are strap-shaped, 15–35 cm (5.9–13.8 in) long and 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) broad, with a soft, succulent texture, and produced in a basal whorl. The flowering stem is a raceme, which grows to 20–35 cm (7.9–13.8 in) (rarely to 45 cm (18 in)) tall, bearing 2–50 fragrant purple flowers 2–3.5 cm long with a tubular, six-lobed perianth.

In Greek mythology, Hyacinth was a young man admired by Apollo and Zephyr, but killed by a discus in a jealous fight between the two gods; a flower was allegedly named after him when it sprang from his blood. However, Theophrastus describes both a cultivated and a wild plant called ὑάκινθος (hyakinthos), neither of which are considered to be the modern hyacinth.[3]

The reproduction of the plant in cultivation can be done easily by dividing the newly appeared bulbs from the main plant. In nature, this method is also used by the hyacinth, but the plant also has a specific kind of reproduction by seeds.

The plant is pollinated by different insects such as honey bees. The flowers are very fragrant and attract the insects by rewarding them with nectar.[4]

After flowering, the ripening of the seed capsules begins. They are fleshy, spherical structures.[4] When the capsules reach maturity, they get dried and split into three parts. Each part has two subdivisions and contains a different quantity of seeds. The seeds are black grains with one white elaiosome of variable size. The seeds are dispersed through myrmecochory; that is, ants find the seeds and take them into their burrows, where they use the elaiosome for food. There, the seeds can germinate.

Hyacinth cultivars, showing many of the available colors

H. orientalis has a long history of cultivation as an ornamental plant, grown across the Mediterranean region, and later France (where it is used in perfumery), the Netherlands (a major centre of cultivation) and elsewhere.

It flowers in the early spring, growing best in full sun to part shade in well-drained, but not dry, soil. It requires a winter dormancy period, and will only persist in cold-weather regions. It is grown for the clusters of strongly fragrant, brightly coloured flowers. Over 2,000 cultivars have been selected and named, with flower colour in shades of blue, white, pale yellow, pink, red or purple; most cultivars have also been selected for denser flower spikes than the wild type, bearing 40–100 or more flowers on each spike.

Cultivars

’Delft Blue’

The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:-[5]

• 'Aida'[6] (deep blue)
• 'Anna Marie'[7] (pink)
• 'Blue Festival'[8] (pale blue)
• 'Blue Jacket'[9] (blue)
• 'Chicago'[10] (violet blue)
• 'City of Haarlem'[11] (cream)
• 'Delft Blue'[12] (blue)
• 'Fairly'[13] (white)
• 'Gipsy Queen'[14] (salmon pink)
• 'Jan Bos'[15] (deep pink)
• 'L'Innocence'[16] (white)
• 'Miss Saigon'[17] (deep pink)
• 'Ostara'[18] (blue)
• 'Paul Hermann'[19] (mauve-pink)
• 'Royal Navy'[20] (dark blue)
• 'Yellow Queen'[21] (cream yellow)

H. orientalis contains alkaloids and is toxic if eaten in large quantities. The bulb, however, is the most poisonous part and should not be ingested under any circumstances.

• List of poisonous plants

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hyacinthus orientalis.

• Newsletter Number 4. (October 2004) Hyacinth perennialization , Flower Bulb Research Program, Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University