Thinking of planting grape hyacinth in your garden, or around your home? This beautiful flowering plant can be something different and unique, that's not commonly seen amongst gardens around the globe.The draping bulbs of grape hyacinth are sure to create a stunning spring spectacle, no matter where they’re planted. While not related to true hyacinths – a flowering garden staple – grape hyacinth still deserves a spot in your landscape. They get their unique name from their pretty blooms that look like a cluster of grapes mixed with tiny hyacinths. Their blooms are small, but they come in a variety of colors that brighten any space.
Grape hyacinths have a lot more going for them than just their looks. They’re extremely low maintenance, cold-hardy, and naturalize quickly, allowing them to be planted in a variety of ways. They make striking additions to beds and containers, perfect for cottage gardens. These unique bulbs also add a pretty twist in meadow and woodland gardens, as well as non-traditional urbanized spaces.
There are more than 40 species of grape hyacinth, each with its own unique quirks and colors. Though blue is the most common color, some varieties come in different shades of purple and pink, while others are bright yellow and even white. The most traditional grape hyacinth is the Muscari aucheri ‘Blue Magic,’ which of course has striking grape-blue flowers. Grape hyacinth belongs to the Muscari genus, which is part of the asparagus (Asparagaceae) family. Muscari is a Greek word meaning ‘musk’ which refers to the flower’s delicious fragrance. Grape hyacinths are native to the Middle East and the Mediterranean and made their way across Europe throughout the 13th century. They became increasingly popular in the 1500s, and by the middle of the century, they were commercially cultivated. By this time, these bulbed flowers had reached the Americas, too.
Despite this relatively long history, grape hyacinth’s popularity dates back much further. Archeologists in Iraq found evidence of them amongst many other types of flowers at a burial site dated back almost 50,000 years.
Today, they are still used for display purposes, mainly in spring gardens. They’re known for their striking appearance in the ‘Blue River’ display at the Keukenhof Gardens in Holland. But these flowers don’t need to be planted in a world-renowned spring garden to be appreciated. They still make quite the spectacle when planted in small groups in home gardens.
In the Mediterranean, many species star in both gardens and kitchens. The bulbs, flowers, and buds of some varieties are particularly popular in dishes from Crete and southern Italy. Some species’ bulbs are often boiled, pickled, and used as a substitute for onion. Others add a nutty flavor to dishes when they’re pickled in vinegar. Part of Grape Hyacinth’s allure is their self-seeding nature and ability to naturalize easily. While this is great, many gardeners opt to propagate their plants to quickly increase their stock. Propagation is also a great way to share your favorite plants with friends and family at no cost. Luckily, there are two easy ways to propagate them – from seed or by dividing the bulbs.