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Planting and Growing Hyacinths & Grape Hyacinths

Image Credit:
Marcin Jucha/Shutterstock
Botanical Name
Hyacinthus (True Hyacinths); Muscari (Grape Hyacinths)
Grown as
Perennial
USDA Zones
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Toxicity
Toxic
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Partial Sun
Water Needs
Moderate
Height
Under 1 foot
Spread
Under 1 foot
Soil pH
Neutral
Bloom Time
Spring
Flower Color
Blue
Orange
Pink
Purple
Red
White
Yellow
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Cut Flower
Disease-Resistant
Fragrant
Low Maintenance
Attracts Pollinators
Deer-resistant
Rabbit-resistant
Resilience
Clay Soil Tolerant
Plant Type
Bulbs
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Ahhh, the scent of hyacinths in full bloom—springtime’s little perfume bottles! And don’t even get us started on the tiny cobalt-blue Muscari, sneaking in like miniature bells of joy. 

Whether you’re planting them in pots, borders, or bouquets, these fragrant spring bulbs are sure to make your garden (and your nose) very happy.

About Hyacinths and Grape Hyacinths

  • Hyacinths (Hyacinthus): Originally a pale blue or violet flower, hyacinths now come in a rainbow of colors, including lilacs, pinks, white, cobalt blue, cream, apricot, and even a blood-red hue. Each hyacinth bulb generally produces one flower stalk that stands 8 to 10 inches tall. The hyacinth’s loose-to-dense racemes (clusters) of strongly fragrant flowers may be closely packed single or double flowers.
Close-up of Hyacinth flowers in full bloom
Close-up of Hyacinth flowers in full bloom. Credit: Elena Tratsevskaya
  • Grape hyacinths (Muscari) are not directly related to true hyacinths, but also bloom in mid-spring and have the same care requirements. This tiny wonder has small clusters of bell-shaped, cobalt-blue flowers.
Blue muscari/grape hyacinth flowers
Blue muscari. Credit: Shebeko

Note: This page will refer to both Hyacinthus and Muscari plants as “hyacinths” for simplicity’s sake!

As hyacinths are one of the first blooms, they look best at the front of a perennial garden, near the front door, along a walkway, or in mixed borders. These beauties are also a great choice for pots and planters. Hyacinths make wonderful cutting flowers, too, and look stunning in bouquets. As the flowers are famous for their fragrance, you can bring the sweet scent of spring inside!

Please note: Most hyacinths grow in Zones 3 to 9. They must have cold temperatures of 40° to 45°F (4° to 7°C) for at least 12 to 14 weeks. If temperatures in your area do not get this cold, you’ll need to pre-chill the bulbs in a refrigerator before planting them outdoors. 

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.

Planting

Where to Plant Hyacinths

Choose a planting site that gets full sun for the largest blooms and straightest stems. The bulbs are tolerant of partial shade as well.

Grow in loosened, moderately fertile soil that drains well. Avoid planting low areas where water collects; hyacinths will rot in wet soil! Before planting, loosen the soil and work in 2 to 4 inches of compost or bonemeal for fertility.

When to Plant Hyacinths

Like other spring-blooming bulbs, plant hyacinth bulbs in mid-to-late autumn, any time after your first fall frost and before the ground freezes.

How to Plant Hyacinths

  • Plant hyacinth bulbs 4 to 5 inches deep. Space bulbs 5 to 6 inches apart (grape hyacinths can be 2 inches apart). At the northern limits of their hardiness (USDA Zone 3), plant 1 to 2 inches deeper to ensure winter hardiness.
  • Dig out a larger area if you wish to plant five or more bulbs simultaneously. Hyacinths look beautiful in groupings of five to nine bulbs. Grape hyacinths also look best in masses and loose drifts.
  • Set the bulb in the hole with the pointy end up.
  • After planting and covering with soil, water thoroughly.
  • Apply a 1- to 2-inch layer of mulch around the plants to discourage weeds and disease.
  • If you are transplanting, water sparingly and then do not water again until flower buds appear the following year.
pink and purple hyacinths in the garden

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 and avoid wetting the shoots or waterlogging the soil. Soil should be moist, not wet.
  • After flowering, forced hyacinths may be transplanted into the garden, and they will flower again in subsequent years.

Growing

Caring for Hyacinths

  • Do NOT overwater hyacinth. They do not like standing water or having “wet feet.” Water ONLY if the soil is dry at a depth of 3 inches. If it is dry at that depth, it is time to water.  
  • Water deeply at the soil level, not from overhead or with a sprinkler which encourages disease. Lay the hose end next to the plant, turn the hose on low, and water for about 30 minutes or until the soil is moist. A soaker hose turned on low for a few hours will cover a larger area effectively.
  • With the organic matter and mulch, you do not need to fertilize. However, it’s OK to sprinkle a commercial organic fertilizer over the soil.
  • Protect container-grown plants from excessive winter moisture by covering them or moving them to a sheltered area.

Harvesting

What to Do With Hyacinths After Flowering

Outdoors

  • After your hyacinths have finished flowering, remove the blooms, but don’t remove the foliage. The bulbs need their leaves to gather energy for next year’s blooms. The foliage will die back naturally at the end of the spring season. Remove when the leaves have turned brown to help prevent fungal diseases.
  • Hyacinth bulbs can remain in the ground throughout the year in most planting zones. If you live a warm climate where temperatures do not get below 60°F, bulbs should be dug up in the fall and refrigerated in a cool, dry area for 6 to 8 weeks. Hyacinths require a period of colder weather to bloom. 

Indoors

  • Hyacinth bulbs that have finished flowering indoors can be transplanted into 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. 

Pests and Problems

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

Types

  • Hyacinth orientalis ‘Blue Jacket’: One of the great blues of the flower world. These award-winning hyacinths display big columns of royal blue florets with crisp white edges.
  • H. orientalis ‘City of Haarlem’: A wonderful heirloom variety that’s been popular since the late 1800s. The flowers are soft, primrose yellow, maturing to creamy white.
  • H. orientalis ‘Gypsy Queen’: ‘Gypsy Queen’ is an heirloom hyacinth with salmon pink petals with peach and buttery-yellow highlights.
  • H. orientalis ‘Jan Bos’: Intensely fragrant, this award-winning hyacinth has fuschia-pink florets that are tightly packed into large flowerheads.
  • H. orientalis ‘Miss Saigon’: With a deep, rich purple color, this fragrant hyacinth is covered with starry, violet florets. Gorgeous!
  • H. orientalis ‘Pink Pearl’: Rose-pink flower heads turn heads with their cotton-candy sweetness; ‘Pink Pearl’ is a favorite for spring containers to add a pop of color.
  • Muscari armeniacum: This grape hyacinth has small and delicate cobalt-blue flowers that look gorgeous when planted en masse.

Wit and Wisdom

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

Are Hyacinth Bulbs Poisonous to Cats and Dogs?

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 and 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, often aren’t as tempted to eat your hyacinth bulbs!

Will Hyacinths Bloom Again?

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

Bulbs

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 06/04/2013 - 10:34
Our sources suggest that those pods are not seeds from which new plants will come; in fact, they will exhaust the existing plant, so cut them off. Lilies (which include hyacinths, above, in the botanical family) and other bulbs reproduce off the main (underground) bulb by producing bulblets. These can take years to mature. It may be that your lily had reproduced blublets underground near where replanted (your message is not entirely clear). It's a mystery to us why no bulbs reproduced. But that's nature sometimes...a mystery.
<span>Renee Mcclung</span> Fri, 05/24/2013 - 09:29
I have had these bulbs for 5 to 8 years and have never seen them bloom. The foliage will come up in spring and be beautiful, but they never bloom. Is it possible to have to many bulbs together? I am ready to give up! Help please.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 06/04/2013 - 10:44
That's unfortunate... You do not indicate where you are, which leads us to ask if the plants experienced a sufficiently cold winter period. Also, if they were originally forced indoors (made to bloom outside of their normal seasonal bloom period), most will not bloom again. If by "together" you are referring to clustering blubs in the ground, there is nothing wrong with that; in fact, it is often recommended.
<span>Anonymous</span> Sat, 05/11/2013 - 23:25
I'm confused. For fall planting, Do I store my bulbs in an open container or in a paper bag? In the refrigerator or in a cool dark place? I got about 36 potted bulbs earlier and they are almost ready to store. Appreciate your help.
<span>Stiainin Beglan</span> Fri, 01/24/2014 - 15:04
Just from what I've learned about hyacinth on this page and only one or two others, I'd say that because they're a "winter flower" (early bloomers can often be seen poking flowers up through the snow before it's fully melted) and are plants which need a cold period (ie. winter in the northern States and Canada, Russia, etc.) in order to germinate properly, a cold-room, cool cellar, or fridge would work. I'd personally suggest the fridge if you live in Texas: a cellar might not be cold enough. The fridge is obvously going to be dark when it's closed, but for those moments when you have it open (unless you have a spare fridge you use only for overwintering hibernating plants), a paper bag would be a good idea. In the crisper would be a double measure of safety, especially if the drawers aren't transparent. An open container on a shelf is going to let light in. Remember that light is needed for the growth. You don't want growth during hibernation. It's that exact reason I keep shovelling snow back onto my garden every time it gets warm enough to melt this year. It's only the end of January. Nothing should be green yet (the grass under the eaves is turning green), and if I left my garden to melt and start coming out of hibernation this early, the chances of my plants surviving until spring are slim. They'd start to grow, then get frozen right to the roots and never recover from the shock. So. Protect your hibernating bulbs from light and any temperatures warm enough for things to grow.
<span>Anonymous</span> Sat, 05/04/2013 - 13:50
I have had hyacinth flowers in my garden for years and for some reason when some of the flowers start to appear within the leaves they stop growing. I notice that the stem of the flower has been cut off by a very small worm. How can I get rid of that pest?
<span>Anonymous</span> Thu, 05/09/2013 - 17:10
This is caused by a cutworm and can be treated weekly with a permethrin based insecticed which is actually a natural solution, if this does not work try a snail slug and insect killer
<span>Anonymous</span> Tue, 04/30/2013 - 08:44
I just moved into a new home (zone 4b) and am experiencing the spring blooms of the perennials the previous homeowner planted. I am a brand new gardener. I mean BRAND NEW. I just noticed two gorgeous purple hyacinths standing tall in bloom yesterday! We had some thunderstorms last night and this morning, and the poor things are keeled over! Will they stand again? If not, I want to know if I can cut the bloom to put them in a vase. I want to make sure the plants will still come up next spring. What do I do?
<span>Stiainin Beglan</span> Fri, 01/24/2014 - 15:12
The flower stalk may or may not stand back up. I'm still trying to figure that one out myself. You can definitely cut the stalk close to the plant, but not so close you cut any leaves or the top of the bulb, and stick the flowers in a vase with water. I'm not sure how long they last as cut flowers, but as long as the flowers haven't started to dry out and brown yet, the water in the vase will keep them fresh for a little while at least. As for the plant coming back in the spring, absolutely. It may not flower again the same year if the shock from the storm was great enough, but it'll hibernate over the winter and be good as new next year. Just don't touch it after you lop off the fallen flower stalks.
<span>Anonymous</span> Fri, 04/26/2013 - 01:49
A friend placed a pot of blooming hyacinths on my mother-in-law's grave around Easter with the intent for my husband and his sister to share the bulbs after they were done blooming, each planting a few in their flower beds to hopefully come up again next Spring. The blooms were spent so I dug up the bulbs, shook the dirt off the roots and set aside to dry for planting in the Fall. Now, after reading other comments, I realize I should have waited until the leaves were also wilted. Should I replant them in the container they were in, until the leaves die back, or is it OK to let the leaves dry with the bulbs (then cut them off?)???