GRAPE
HYACINTH
Family LILIACEAE
Muscari species
Perennial
A genus of attractive hardy bulbous plants of
over forty species, native variously to Europe
and Asia Minor.
The foliage rises from the bulb and consists of
narrow, linear leaves, rather fleshy and untidy
in the mass.
The flowers are small, of rounded shape, constricted
at the mouth, and borne in close spikes; hence
the name of the most popular speces Muscari botryoides,
meaning “like a bunch of grapes”.
The individual flowers are of a deep sky-blue
shade, with six white-toothed segments; there
are also pale blue and white forms, all of erect
habit up to nine inches.
Muscari armeniacum flowers later than most, reaches
eight inches, with racemes four inches long of
bright clear blue flowers with white segments.
Muscari racemosum, six inches, has deep purple flowers
.
Muscari comosum monstrosum, eight inches, is the Feather
Hyacinth and has soft violet flowers.
Massed in the front of herbaceous borders, beneath
deciduous shrubs and in sparse woodland, these
are among the most charming of spring flowers.
Plant in autumn in well-drained soil.
Propagate by division, by offsets or seeds.
The flowering season is in spring.
See Also : Hyacinth
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