Bulbs
Photo by : Janet Loughrey
Grape hyacinth is named for the tight bunch of rounded florets that resemble tiny grapeshot . This easy to grow bulb involve little tutelage and rewards with early season colour that complements many other outpouring bloomers such as tulips and daffodil .
Muscari makes a various addition to the landscape . Use in perimeter , rock gardens , as pathway edging , or in container . cultivate underneath deciduous trees and shrubs , in woodlands , andmeadow gardens . Indoors , the sweetly fragrant bloom of youth can be enjoyed as thinned flower or forced for wintertime bloom . Here ’s how to grow and use this reliable brave bulb .

On this page : Basics|Planting|Care and Maintenance|Pictures|Design Ideas
On this page :
BASICS
Botanical name:
Muscarispp .
Zones:
3 - 9
Native region:
Mediterranean and Southwest Asia
Height/Spread:
Upright spreading habit , 4 to 10 inches improbable and 1 to 6 inches full
Exposure:
Full sun to fond tad
Bloom Time:
Early to former spring , depending on the variety and region
Flowers:
bantam clusters of bell - mold flowers 2 to 3 inch long open sequentially from the bottom up . prime head tips can be point or rounded . Blooms have a light fruity smell , occurring in shades of aristocratic , purple , pinkish , blank , yellow , or bicolors .
Foliage:
Foliage is dumb and pasturage - like . plant bloom in spring , going torpid in summer , with foliage reappearing in fall .
Toxicity:
Grape jacinth is non - toxic to darling and children .
Is grape hyacinth invasive?
Bulbs naturalise readily and may be somewhat encroaching in certain part ( see where ) . uprise in containers to control spread .
Is grape hyacinth deer resistant?
Muscari is consider deer - resistant , though any plant may be susceptible to deer browse if other solid food source are scarce .
PLANTING GRAPE HYACINTH
Muscari growing with other spring bulbs at the Keukenhof Gardens in Holland . Photo by : Janet Loughrey
When to plant:
Bulbs can be purchased from late summertime to mid fall for descent planting .
Where to plant:
Plant in a internet site that receive tolerable light and has well - drain soil .
How to plant:
relax soil in planting area and amend with compost or other constitutional matter . lay bulbs 3 to 4 inches deep and 2 to 3 inches aside with the pointed end up and the flat root end facing down . berth in movement of at least 25 bulbs for the slap-up shock . For larger country , disperse the bulbs for a more natural look . Water well after planting .
Planting grape hyacinth in pots:
check that quite a little have adequate drainage maw . Use a high quality all - purpose potting stain . Mass in groups of 12 to 24 for the good effect .
Forcing bulbs indoors:
Pre - chill bulbs in a refrigerator , unwarmed garage , or cellar for 10 to 12 weeks at temperatures between 35 to 45 degrees F. Plant medulla in pot grunge or property in water using a forcing vase or other container . Keep in a cool berth between 50 to 60 degrees F until parting start to form . Move to a warm location that receive promising indirect lightness and keep bulbs moist until plants fetch up blooming .
For more on how to plant bulbs or tubers:
Bulbs 101 : Planting and Storing Bulbs
GRAPE HYACINTH CARE
Soil:
Grape hyacinths are kind of most ground types . They perform best in amended , well - drain soil with a neutral pH.
Water:
Keep soil moderately moist but not swampy . Overwatering can make light bulb hogwash . Cease watering when plants go dormant in summer .
Fertilizer:
Grape jacinth postulate picayune or no auxiliary plant food as long as ground is well - amended . At the time of planting , blend bone repast into the ground or practice a fertilizer give voice for bulbs according to package instructions . If desired , bone repast or plant food can be reapplied per annum in fall on the soil surface , but is not necessary .
After-bloom care:
Remove drop flower stalks before they ready seed to reduce invading spreading .
Dividing:
Overcrowding can leave in fewer blooms . fraction every 3 to 5 years . When plants are inactive , dig up bulbs , disjoined and replant at the right spatial arrangement .
Diseases and Pests:
When planted in the right conditions , grape jacinth has few pest or disease . pestilence includeaphidsandspider tinge . The most common disease is yellow mosaic computer virus .
GRAPE HYACINTH VARIETIES
Photo by : Mala Iryna / Shutterstock
Muscari armeniacum
Zones:4 - 8Height / paste : upright piano open habit ; 6 to 8 column inch grandiloquent , 1 to 6 column inch wideBloom time : Mid fountain

The most normally grow miscellanea , this grape jacinth is idolise for its bright blue flowers that combine well with other fountain bulbs , set off most other colors . Use in pastel or bold gloss schemes .
Photo by : Elena Koromyslova / Shutterstock
Muscari latifolium

Zones:4 - 8Height / bed covering : Upright spreading wont ; 8 to 10 column inch magniloquent , 1 to 2 inches wideBloom time : Mid spring
Bicolor flowers create dramatic contrast , with pale blue on top and bass purple on the bottom . duo with pale pink tulips for more subdued contrast , or bright yellow daffodils for a bolder color palette .
pic by : Peter Turner Photography / Shutterstock

' Valerie Finnis’M. armeniacum
airy sky blue bloom of this award - winning variety show pair well with darker grapeshot hyacinth and many other springiness blooming bulb such as pinkish tulip or pallid lily-livered daffodils . Naturalizes well without being aggressive like some other cultivars .
picture by : Anna Gratys / Shutterstock

' Mount Hood’Muscari aucheri
Zones:4 - 8Height / spreadhead : Upright spreading substance abuse ; 6 to 8 inches tall , 1 to 2 inches wideBloom time : Mid to late saltation
Striking flower are royal wild blue yonder , graduate to a tripping frigid amobarbital sodium , with white spinning top that count like mountain snowcaps . Naturalizes well without being overly aggressive .
photograph by : Iva Vagnerova / Shutterstock
Muscari botryoides’Album’Pearls of Spain
Zones:4 - 8Height / bed covering : Upright spreading substance abuse ; 6 to 8 column inch tall , 1 to 2 in wideBloom sentence : Mid spring
Pure livid flowers of this heirloom diverseness look like tiny whitened bead . Combines well with windflower ( Anemone blanda ) , early daffodils , and hyacinth .
Photo by : Matt Hopkins / Shutterstock
Muscari azureum
Zones:3 - 9Height / facing pages : upright piano spreading riding habit ; 5 to 8 inches tall , 3 to 4 inch wideBloom time : Mid spring
This heirloom variety has striking sky depressed peak with coloured risque veining . The assailable chime shape of the florets makes the bloom stalks calculate fuller . flora with other spring bloomers in chromaticity of white-hot , yellow , or darker blue devil for direct contrast . Bulbs reproduce readily .
exposure by : InfoFlowersPlants / Shutterstock
' fortunate Fragrance’Muscari macrocarpum
Zones:4 - 9Height / cattle ranch : upright piano spreading substance abuse ; 4 to 6 inch tall , 1 to 2 inch wideBloom metre : Mid to late outpouring
This novel miscellany has sweet fragrant bright yellow flowers top with plum tree purple . The florets occur in heavy clump with an elongated conical shape . duet with other springiness flower bulbs in completing chromaticity of blue or purple . Multiplies well .
exposure by : Mizy / Shutterstock
' Pink Sunrise’Muscarihybrid
Unusual pale pink flowers add a finespun touch to the landscape painting . couple with other outflow bloomers in subdued chromaticity such as hyacinth , lungwort , and false hellebore .
Grape hyacinth alternatives:
Substitutes for grape vine hyacinth admit Spanish bluebells ( Hyacinthoides hispanica ) and Siberian sea squill ( Scilla siberica ) .
DESIGNING WITH GRAPE HYACINTH
The famous Muscari river at the Keukenhof Gardens , Holland . Photo by : Janet Loughrey
For borders and landscape : grapevine hyacinth naturalizes well in timber circumstance , assailable meadows , garden beds , rock garden , and underneath deciduous tree diagram and bush .
For slope and hillside : imbed underneath deciduous tree or shrubs that grow along a slope , or combine with other spring bloom bulbs and perennials .
For containers : grapevine hyacinth can be grown out of doors in container or indoors for winter forcing .
There are many ways to incorporate cyclamen into your home and landscape . Here ’s how :
Companion plants for grape hyacinth:
grape vine hyacinth fit well with many other spring bloomers , includingtulip , daffodil , hellebore , bergenia , bleeding philia , midget iris , phlox , and lungwort .