Hyacinth

Hyacinth is the common name and they are perennial herbs. They are in the genus Hyacinthus, and there is about thirty in the species.  Hyacinths are in the family liliaceae.  They are native in regions from the Mediterranean to South Africa.  Hyacinths have been cultivated for nearly four hundred years.  Many varieties and large quantities are grown in The Netherlands for export.

The leaves on a hyacinth is long and slim which grow upward to about twelve inches long and one inch wide.  Hyacinths bloom in the spring.  Their flowers are small and grow in a cluster up the stems.  Some of the colors include lilac, pink, red, white, and yellow.  Hyacinths are often forced to bloom under glass.  Then from December through May they are used as cut flowers. 

Many people purchase hyacinths yearly.  However, injuring the bulb will allow them to grow offsets.  To do this one can scoop out part of the bulbs plate like stem, which is called the basil plate.  Another way to get the hyacinths to reproduce is by scoring the base of the bulb. 

Grape Hyacinth

Grape hyacinths are perennial flower bulbs in the genus Muscan, and are in the family hyacinthaceae.  There are about forty species in the group.  They can be grown in flowerbeds, lawns, or woodlands.  Their flowers grow on short stems and resemble grapes.  Grape hyacinths will easily reproduce from seeds or from offsets.