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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

<span>Maria Zuniga</span> Wed, 04/12/2017 - 11:44
I bought a dozen hyacinths from a store last year and planted them inside for winter bloom. They smelled and looked beautiful but now look they look like old garage. The plant looks yellowish and some bulbs seem rotten. What did I do wrong? Of the ones outside, none are growing. Please help me. /
<span>Stephanie</span> Thu, 04/06/2017 - 14:31
husband bought me a hyacinth from store in a glass vase w/water but dropped it in driveway and broke the vase in pieces! so he(without asking me how to do it first) planted it in the ground right away! it already bloomed in about a week and a half but its not in a very good place in the ground! my question is would i be able to dig it back up and move it to a better location in the ground without killing it in the process?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 04/11/2017 - 10:54

Hi Stephanie,

That's quite a story! Since it has bloomed already, let it be until the flowers have died. Cut back the flowers, but leave the green leaves to let the plant continue photosynthesizing and storing energy for the winter. After the bloom it would be safe to dig up and move the bulb, though the best time to do that is in the fall.

 <span>Larry B</span> Mon, 04/03/2017 - 10:29
I purchased 10 Hyacinths plants last week at the local big box store. They had not yet bloomed but you could see the flower bulb, if that is what it is called, within the green stalks. I planted them in freshly tilled soil, and made sure that they were watered. The purple ones bloomed first followed by the pink ones, but within 2-3 days the purple ones began to shrivel up, turn black and were dead. What did I do wrong or not right? Is there a chance these will survive for next year? Do I cut off the dead flower or do I take them back and get a refund, or not waste my time and gas since I only paid about $2 per plant. Thank you. Larry
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 04/06/2017 - 11:37

We are going to guess that these bulbs were in pots, with soil. It is highly likely that they were "forced" in order to reach the stage they did at this time. The actual bulb (which is the round bottom that is under the soil) probably had some root growth on it. You should not have transplanted the bulbs. It would not have been a guarantee of success but would have given the plants their best shot. Think about it: root it set, growth has begun, a flower bud shows promise...why disturb it by taking it out of its cozy home and making it adapt to new dirt, new conditions, etc. They couldn't take it. Chalk it up to experience and move on.

In the autumn, buy a bag of hyacinth bulbs and plant them where you want them to bloom in the spring. That is, if you are in a cold climate. Hyacinth need winter conditions. If you're not in a cold climate, buy the potted plants again but leave them in the pots.

 <span>Mon</span> Sun, 03/26/2017 - 09:49
I live in Atlanta and bought potted hyacinths from the local grocery store. They are in full bloom now. After cutting off the dried flowers and letting the leaves dry naturally, what's the best way to ensure the bulbs bloom again next year? Thanks!
<span>Maria</span> Wed, 03/22/2017 - 14:03
My question is how should I care for the bloomed hyacinth afterwards; the flowers are creating seeds I think. I'm not sure if I should trim the dead flower or just leave it alone and nature take its course thought the leaves are pretty green. Another question is how long would it take for another bloom? ( realistically I know it will be for good period of time )
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 03/23/2017 - 10:13

As noted above under "Care," After plants are finished flowering in spring, cut back flower stalks but allow the leaves to die back naturally. Hyacinths do not bloom more than one time.

 <span>Jessica Mcgaughey</span> Sat, 03/11/2017 - 02:08
Hello, I bought 3 of these plants from my local Safeway. 1 for my mom, and 2 for me. My moms has lots of roots out of it and a good height, just moved it to the living room now (as per instructions) and waiting for it to bloom. 1 of mine the roots are long,m and the height is huge. again just moved to living room and waiting for it to bloom. However the third one, the roots not the height, seems to be growing at the same speed as the others. All bought at the same time, and taken care of the same way. I am wondering, if this one may just be a slow go'er, and a late bloomer. Or if this one, possibly will not bloom at all. What do you think?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 03/13/2017 - 15:30

Well, it's hard to know. You just have to wait and watch. Occasionally bulbs fail to bloom. Keep conditions the same for all three and you may have a better sense of what's working (worked) and what is not (did not).