Grape Hyacinth: Pretty Blue or Purple Palette of Muscari armeniacum

Summary: Grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) is an early spring flower with dense, grapelike diminutive floral cluster of vivid blue or purple.

closeup of Muscari armeniacum; Ufa Raion, central Bashkortostan Republic, Russia, Eastern Europe: Sergey Urzhumskov, CC BY 2.0 Generic, via Flickr

Grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) is a spring flower that eagerly breaks ground with upward shoots from its perennial bulbs.

The early spring bloomer is an Old World native, hailing from the eastern Mediterranean where its deep hued flowers familiarly dot the landscapes from Greece and Turkey to the Caucasus. The region marks the border between Europe and Asia.

The perennial bloomer has found worldwide popularity for its dependable and easy appearances, year after year, in cultivated gardens as well as in wild habitats.

Despite its delicate, urn-shaped flowers, grape hyacinths are hardy plants with an enjoyment of well-drained soils. Muscari armeniacum blooms readily in shade as well as in full or partial sun. Grape hyacinths thrive outdoors in container gardens and in-ground gardens as well as indoors as house plants.

In their blooms, the plant's flowers form distinctive, grape-like clusters at the top of leafless stems. This floral arrangement is known as a raceme (Latin: racemus, "bunch, cluster").

Each floral bell attaches to the spike-like stem by way of a short stalk known as a pedicel (Latin: pedicellus, "small foot," from pes, ped-, "foot"). Although floral outlines are reminiscent of bells, they tend to be described as urn-shaped because, unlike classic bell silhouettes, their openings do not flare outward.

The pedicels account for grape hyacinth's charming swayings in gentle breezes. Each flower seems to ring its bell individually as well as en masse as part of the entire cluster.

Grape hyacinth flowers display a pretty palette of colors as cultivars and in the wild: blue to purple variations; pink; white-tipped, deep violet blue; white.

Grape hyacinths feature basal leaves, which are leaves growing at the base of the bulb's central stem. Their dark greenness matches the stem's coloration and serves as a pleasing contrast to the plant's floral cluster.

The stem grows to a height of about 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters). Its basal, slender leaves, attaining lengths of up to 12 inches (30.4 centimeters) arch graciously to the ground.

The British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in London in 1804 and chartered in 1861 for the promotion of gardening through the art, practice, and science of horticulture, recognizes noteworthy flora through its Award of Garden Merit (AGM). The RHS has honored Muscari armeniacum with three AGMs.

Muscari armeniacum received the Award of Garden Merit in 1993.

Muscari armeniacum 'Christmas Pearl' was recognized in 2003.

Muscari armeniacum 'Saffier' was honored in 2003.

Grape hyacinth already is asserting its position as a harbinger of spring in my yard. Dark stems are stretching 2 inches (5 centimeters) above the earth in the strip garden which outlines the northeast section of my front porch. On the nearby terrace to the east of the porch's population, another exuberant patch of grape hyacinth sprouts are extruding about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) above the soil at the base of a venerable boxelder tree (Acer negundo).

Grape hyacinths are welcome sights, even after a mild winter with no snow accumulation.

The bulbs are showing their appreciation of the gentle winter and their perennial faith in spring's annual return by their quiet, almost unnoticed green reminders of their seasonal life above ground.

Muscari armeniacum's April bloomings; Friday, April 22, 2005, 11:09:59: Alex Lomas (alexlomas), CC BY 2.0 Generic, via Flickr

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

closeup of Muscari armeniacum; Ufa Raion, central Bashkortostan Republic, Russia, Eastern Europe: Sergey Urzhumskov, CC BY 2.0 Generic, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/kinbot/8862349366/

Muscari armeniacum's April bloomings; Friday, April 22, 2005, 11:09:59: Alex Lomas (alexlomas), CC BY 2.0 Generic, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexlomas/2944480276/