Growing Hyacinth and Muscari

Planting and Caring for Hyacinths and Grape Hyacinths

By Catherine Boeckmann

Marcin Jucha/Shutterstock

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Hyacinth bulbs are planted in the fall and bloom in the spring. Here’s a guide to planting and growing hyacinths and grape hyacinths in your home and garden!

About Hyacinths and Grape Hyacinths

Hyacinths (Hyacinthus) come in a variety of colors—from bright pink to soft blue. The hyacinth’s loose-to-dense racemes (clusters) of strongly fragrant flowers may be closely-packed single or double flowers.

Grape hyacinths (Muscari) are not directly related to true hyacinths, but belong to the same botanical family and have essentially the same care requirements. On this page, “hyacinths” refers to both Hyacinthus and Muscari plants.

The Victorians revered hyacinths for their sweet, lingering fragrance, and carefully massed them in low beds, planting in rows of one color each. In general, hyacinths are said symbolize playfulness, sport, and rashness, though meanings are color-dependent. Learn more about the meanings of flowers.

Hyacinths are perennial bulbs and are often planted directly in the ground outdoors, though these easy bulbs are also excellent for forcing in container gardens or being made to flower indoors during the winter.

Planting

Planting Hyacinth Bulbs Outdoors

Plant hyacinth bulbs in autumn, before your first fall frost.
Plant the bulbs 4 inches deep and a minimum of 3 inches apart. At the northern limits of their hardiness (USDA Zone 4), plant 6 to 8 inches deep. Grape hyacinth bulbs should be planted 2–3 inches deep.
Grow in well-drained, moderately fertile soil in sun or partial shade.
Before planting, loosen the soil and work in compost or bonemeal for fertility.
Set the bulb in the hole with the pointy end up.
After planting and covering with soil, water thoroughly.
If you are transplanting, water sparingly and then do not water again until flower buds appear the following year.
Warning: Hyacinth bulbs (and daffodil bulbs) contain a substance called oxalic acid, which can be irritating to bare skin. Use gloves when handling these bulbs for extended periods.

Hyacinth emerging in spring

Forcing Hyacinth Bulbs Indoors

Hyacinth bulbs may be forced into early growth for indoor display in the winter. Plant them with the tips just showing, in soil-based potting mix in containers with drainage holes.
Keep in a dark place at temperatures above freezing but no higher than 45°F (7°C), for at least 10 weeks to allow roots to develop.
When shoots are about 1 inch long, increase light and temperature gradually.
Water carefully, avoiding wetting the shoots or waterlogging the soil. Soil should be moist, not wet.
After flowering, forced hyacinths may be transplanted to the garden and they will flower again in subsequent years.

Care

Caring for Hyacinths

After your hyacinths are finished flowering in late spring, cut back flower stalks, but allow the leaves to die back naturally. The plants need their foliage to gather energy for next year’s blooms.
Hyacinth bulbs do not like to have wet feet, so make sure they are not watered too often. Too much moisture can cause rot.
In the event of a dry autumn, water hyacinths occasionally.
Protect container-grown plants from excessive winter moisture by keeping them covered or moving them to a sheltered area.

White hyacinth

Pests/Diseases

Bulbs are prone to gray mold and bulb rot when kept too wet.

Harvest/Storage

What to do With Hyacinths After Flowering

Outdoors

After your hyacinths have finished flowering, snip off the flower stalks, but don’t remove the foliage. The bulbs need their leaves to gather energy for next year’s blooms. At the end of the spring season, the foliage will die back naturally, at which point it can be removed.
Hyacinth bulbs can remain in the ground throughout the year in most planting zones. If your winter temperatures do not get below 60°F (16°C), bulbs should be dug up in the fall and refrigerated in a cool, dry area for six to eight weeks. Hyacinths require a period of colder weather to bloom.

Indoors

Hyacinth bulbs that have finished flowering indoors can be transplanted to the garden. After flowering, they need time to gather energy for next year’s blooms, so they should not be placed directly into storage.
After their foliage dies back outdoors, hyacinth bulbs can be brought indoors and stored in a cool, dark, dry place until the fall or winter.

Recommended Varieties

Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Miss Saigon’ has tightly-packed blossoms with deep purple-pink florets.
Muscari armeniacum (grape hyacinth) has small and delicate cobalt-blue flowers which look gorgeous when planted en masse.

Grape Hyacinths

Wit & Wisdom

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are Hyacinth Bulbs Poisonous to Cats and Dogs?

A: Yes, hyacinth bulbs are poisonous to pets. Many spring flowers, such as hyacinths and daffodils, contain a compound that may cause stomach and respiratory issues, as well as skin irritation. This substance—calcium oxalate—is most concentrated in the bulbs, but is also found in the foliage and flowers of the hyacinth plant. Keep hyacinths out of reach of curious pets and children, and wear gloves when handling hyacinth bulbs for long periods of time.

The one upside to the hyacinth’s toxicity is that common garden pests, such as squirrels and groundhogs, aren’t as tempted to eat your hyacinth bulbs!

Q: Will Hyacinths Bloom Again?

A: Yes and no. Hyacinths bloom just once per year (in the spring), but they will happily bloom again in subsequent seasons if provided with the proper care. They are a perennial plant.

Reader Comments

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When to plant Hyacinth in zone 10

Growing Hyacinth in Southern California zone 10:
Bulbs from local stores Home Depot and Lowe’s.
Chilling Hyacinth bulbs in mid September (for 2 months)
Planting in mid November, in the containers, in shade with indirect sunlight
Watering gently for 2 months. When the shoots grow few inches tall, bring the containers to the direct sunlight place.
Blooming now in late January.
Whenever you ask or share the information, please write the hardiness zone where you are, so other people can learn and apply. Happy gardening to Almanac and guests!

When to plant Hyacinth

Hi The Editors, I live in San Diego Zone 10. My Tulip, Hyacinth, Daffodil bulbs have been chilled from September 15, some are chilled from Oct and November, until now in refrigerator. I haven’t planted them yet because the grower websites recommend that they need to be chilled at least 15 weeks. Please let me know when I can plant them. Can I plant them now or I need to wait until Jan 2020? Thank you so much for your advise. I love your website very much, it’s so helpful and beautiful.

Pink Hyacinth

I bought a bulb in a see through vase with long roots. It has already bloomed. It has long tall leaves. Can I plant it in a pot and not in the ground? I live in California.

planting hyacinthus

what is to be expected if I plant the bulbs in the spring with or without the potted one I purchased to be planted soon

muscari armeniacum

I planted 14 bulbs outdoor in late fall zone 6A and now beginning of March they all started shooting up 1-2 inches through mulch. There will be some freezing days ahead so my concern is that will they die?

frost protection

If you have several inches of mulch, then the bulbs themselves should be fine. To protect the leaves and buds that have emerged, then you may want to provide frost protection the afternoon before a frost is predicted overnight. You can use row covers, sheets, etc., ideally propped up on stakes (or hoops) so as not to touch (and possibly damage) the plants–be sure that all edges of the fabric are tucked into the soil, to prevent cold air from seeping in under the fabric. Another alternative is to cover each bulb individually with something like a plastic jug or inverted flower pot. Remove the fabric or other protection in the morning just after temperatures rise above freezing. Watering the soil before covering the plants can also help.

Blue Hyacinth in Glass Vase

I just received a Blue Hyacinth in a glass jar...long white roots in water...soil at the top not touching the water. I would like to keep it indoors, as I live in Arizona. Please advise how I should care for this.

hyacinth in glass vase

Ibought this in January, they bloomed and now the blooms have died, what do I do now until fall.

Storing Hyacinth

See our advice in the Harvest/Storage section of this page, above!

Rec'd blue Hyacinth in glass jar, what do I do now?

Blooms are dying, how do I take care of this?

Digging up Hyacinths

My husband and I have moved into a rental home where the Hyacinths have spread out into the main yard. I wanted to know when is the right time to dig them up. We are in Peoria, IL which puts us in Region 6 for weather and Area 2 for Moon phases. Also, what is the best way to dig them up and store them until we can replant them this fall?

Digging up Hyacinths

The best time to dig up and replant hyacinths is in the fall, but truth be told, you can dig them up anytime after their foliage dies back. Store them in a cool, dark place that’s not overly-humid and then replant them in the fall.

Hyacinths with weak stalks

I have grown hyacinths successfully in my BC garden for many years but over the last few years, a number of the plants have developed long weak stalks which do not hold up the flower heads. This is a recurring problem that only happens with specific clumps of bulbs which are situated in various areas of the garden. The rest of the bulbs in the garden produce stocky strong stems that hold the flowers upright even after one of our frequent heavy spring rains. I am tempted to replace the 'weaker' plants as it is so disappointing to have their beautiful flowers lying on the ground each spring. Any suggestions?

Hyacinths with weak stalks

Generally speaking, when a plant develops longer, thinner stalks, and/or longer and thinner leaves it is stretching to compete and reach for the sun. Use the instructions in this article, mark the areas where you have the thinning plants, and wait until the foliage has died back, or wait until the time you would normally plant fall bulbs.
When you dig them up, you may be surprised at the number of bulbs you have!

North FL zone 9b

I live in zone 9b and received a potted hyacinth recently. The blooms are beginning to wilt. Can I go ahead and transplant it in the ground and follow your instructions for care? Our winter temperatures do reach below 60 for several weeks, but it can be very rainy in the spring and summer, and I’m concerned about bulb rot.

Reply to Sarah on March 24, 2018

I want to know the answer to Sarah's question.

Central gulf coast fla

Recieved a potted in full bloom in Feb. 2019 want to transplant outside. How to do this now that it is almost April. Location and soil type in Brandon FL. Morning afternoon or shade since it gets so hot here? Should I keep indoors until fall??

Store bought forced bulbs re-sprouting

Last year I was given an indoor hyacinth which from reading here I have learnt would have been forced. The trio of bulbs are planted in soil with a thin layer of decorative moss. They bloomed last year and once they had withered I cut off the dead leaves. I noticed them sprouting again this year having been left indoors all year. I've been giving them a small amount of water. Do you think they'll bloom? They have been living at room temperature, well above 45F. Is there anything I should do?

a seasonal alternative to a forced hyacinth

You needn’t and probably can not do anything that will change the course of events for these bulbs. They may show signs of life instinctively. But you probably will not get a full, true bloom or foliage. Enjoy any growth that appears. For the pleasure of a seasonal bulb, you might want to purchase a narcissus bulb; they are available in many garden supply stores now. Cover the bottom of a narrow vase or drinking glass with pebbles to about 1 inch deep, put the bulb in on the stones, and add water to reach about halfway up the bulb. Set it near sunlight and keep the water level constant. Like the hyacinth, this is a one-time performance but it is lovely, fragrant, and inexpensive (typically less than $1).

Dormant Forced Vase Hy but with Offshoots

My forced water vase Hy's leaves are finally all dead, which usually signals a dormancy. I am ready to dry the roots and refrigerate it for the summer but wanted to make sure it was the right move since it is already sprouting offshoots from the bottom of the bulb.

Also after 8-10 weeks in the fridge would have me pulling it out and planting it in the Oct-Nov, which feels wrong.

Thanks for any advice!
(Zone 11b)

Hyacinth plants

I purchased the plants in a pot but the blooms are very heavy and droop to the side. Do I have to tie the blooms so they do not droop so bad. Also would they keep drooping if I plan them outside. Any suggestions? I would like them to be standing up straight. Thanks

Hyacinth drooping

To keep a hyacinth from drooping, you can place a stake about an inch from the stem, and loosely tie the stem to the stake beneath the flower head. We like to use old pantyhose but yard will also do (or, gardener’s tape that you purchase).

Hyacinth seeds.

After my hyacinth bloomed and are done there are seed pods on them or what are the little pods. Can they be used.

hyacinth pods

The pods that remain on the hyacinth flower stalk can be used—that is, they can be planted, but it is a long walk to a bloom (as long as six years) and there is no guarantee (some say it is not likely) that the “new” plant will be the same variety as the parent. The best way to get another plant that is similar to the bulb you have is to plant the small bulbs that form on the parent plant. However, if you want to try the pod seeds, remove them from the pods. Store in a cool, dry place. When you want to start them, soak the seeds in water for 24 to 48 hours. Prepare a mixture of perlite and pear moss in a seed tray, and plant the seeds in it, them put the tray in a greenhouse or cold frame. The first year, you may see leaves, as the plant puts its energy into developing a bulb. You can give it some bulb booster fertilizer and, as noted, above, give it time.

Dividing, storing and replanting

I have hyacinths that have bloomed on time for years. This year's blooming is done and the foliage is browning. I want to dig them up, divide them and redistribute them. How should I keep the bulbs while they are out of the ground? How long before I should replant them. They are too numerous to dig out in one day by hand so some storage in necessary while I rework the beds.

Hyacinth

Do I have to throw a hyacinth if it gotS5ijh frozen?

Planting from pot

I have a few hyacinth plants that I bought in pots from the florist. They are done blooming now and I was wondering if I could go ahead and plant them outside even though it's spring? I live in Minnesota if that makes a difference. Thanks!

planting potted hyacinths

Yes! If you have not already, prune off the flower stalk and let the foliage die back. Then, plant the hyacinth bulbs, as directed above. They should come back for years.

Lifespan without wilting

Hi, do you know how long the Hyacinth Blue is supposed to live without wilting?

Greatly appreciated,
Awesome

How often do hyacinths bloom in the spring?

I live in Oklahoma where almost nothing grows. Weather here is erratic and often extreme. I purchased hyacinths about two weeks ago already in bloom and very fragrant. I planted them in a large pot for mobility in case our momentary rain suddenly turns into dry and hot. This is the third week and now the blooms are dead. The rest of the plants are green and vibrant. Any suggestions on how to better care for these beautiful hyacinths and are the blooms a one time event in the spring?