- The species of hyacinth
- Strongly scented spring flower in many colors
- Small overview of known varieties of hyacinth
- tips and tricks
Hyacinths (Latin: hyacinthus) are three different types of bulbous plants that belong to the asparagus family. Their range extends from the Middle East to north-eastern Iran. Only one of them feels comfortable in a Central European climate.
There are many different types of hyacinths in many colors
The species of hyacinth
- Hyacinthus litwinovii
- Hyacinthus orientalis
- Hyacinthus transcaspicus
For the Central European gardener, only the species Hyacinthus orientalis with the addition subsp. orientalis of importance. Only she grows here in the gardens or is cultivated as a houseplant in the house.
Hyacinthus litwinovii occurs mainly in Turkmenistan and northern Iran. The distribution area of Hyacinthus transcaspicus extends from Turkmenistan to western Iran. Hyacinthus orientalis is native to Turkey. It has spread across Central Europe to Israel.
Strongly scented spring flower in many colors
The Hyacinthus orientalis is now available in over 100 different varieties. The color spectrum ranges from pure white, yellow and orange tones to pink, violet and blue.
Normally, the bulb forms only one inflorescence at a time. Some breeds also drive multiple flower stalks. They carry the suffix "multiflora". There are hyacinths with single flowers as well as species with double flowers.
The flower consists of a stalk on which small individual flowers are located like grapes, which consist of six petals of the same shape. In addition to the eye-catching flower, the scent of the hyacinth is unmistakable.
Small overview of known varieties of hyacinth
| variety | flower color | filled / unfilled | multiflora |
|---|---|---|---|
| "anastasia" | light purple | unfilled | Yes |
| "Freestyler" | pink | unfilled | Yes |
| "General Koehler" | pale blue | filled | no |
| Crystal Palace | light purple | filled | no |
| "HollyHook" | Red | filled | no |
| "Prince of Love" | salmon pink | filled | no |
| "Snow Christal" | White | unfilled | no |
| "Peter Stuyvesant" | blue-violet | unfilled | no |
| "Odysseus" | Orange red | unfilled | no |
Hyacinths look particularly pretty in the spring bed if you plant different colors next to each other. But tone-on-tone plantings are also very decorative and really get you in the mood for spring.
tips and tricks
The wild species of hyacinth usually have bluish-colored flowers. Far fewer individual flowers form on the flower stalks than in the new cultivated forms. They don't get that high either.