Spring fragrant multi-colored flowering of hyacinths is able to truly please the human eye after a harsh monotonous snow-white winter. These plants, related to primroses, look great both in single execution and in group. They can be grown in open space, and in a greenhouse, and in an apartment. And varietal diversity is amazing.

The main classification of hyacinth

Hyacinth is a perennial bulbous culture and belongs to the Asparagus family.

There are several classifications of hyacinths:

• in terms of flowering - early (bloom until May 15), medium (from May 15 to May 23), late (from May 24);
• the height of the peduncle is low growing (up to 15 cm), medium growing (up to 25 cm), high growing (from 25 cm);
• in the form of inflorescences - broad-conical (mainly blue or pink), narrow-conical (yellow), ovoid (white).
• in the shape of a flower - terry, simple;
• according to the method of growth - potted (for growing in a room and a greenhouse), garden, growing in the wild.

The most common is the classification of hyacinths by color:

• pink (Scarlet Pearl, Anna Lisa, Aiolos);
• yellow (City of Haarlem, Yellow Queen);
• purple (Amethyst, Blue Pearl);
• blue (Blue Star, Sky Jacket, Azure);
• purple (Woodstock, L'Esperance;
• blue (Delft Blue, Aida, Blue Jacket);
• red (Red Magic, Ian Bos);
• white (Double Eros, Carnegie, Astilb);
• black (Midnight Mystic, Dark Dimming).

Video: All About Hyacinths

Types of Hyacinths

Among the more than three dozen types of hyacinths previously known, there are three. The remaining types of steel belong to other genera of crops. The following types of this culture are known:

• hyacinth Litvinova;
• Trans-Caspian;
• Oriental.

Did you know? The first three bulbs of a black hyacinth hybrid were sold at a price of £ 50,000 each.

Hyacinth Litvinova

Hyacinth Litvinova (Hyacinthus litwinovii) - a species characterized by rarity and small numbers. It is listed in the Red Book. Named in honor of the geographer and florist Litvinov D. I., who discovered it. It is found in the wild in the mountains of Turkmenistan and the eastern Iranian lands.

The bulbs are oval. Hyacinth grows from 14 to 26 cm. The leaves are green with a grayish tint, collected in a spreading brush. The number of peduncles from one to two, each of which is close to a dozen flowers.

Blue flowers with a greenish or purple tint and a dark stripe in the middle of each petal are bell-shaped. The aroma of the flowers is missing. The flowering period falls in April. This species is considered the most hardy. Varietal diversity in Litvinov hyacinth is absent.

Did you know? Asia Minor and the east of the Mediterranean are the domain of hyacinths. They began their history back in antiquity. In the XVIII century, culture became famous in Europe, having come here from the Dutch lands.

Trans-Caspian Hyacinth

The Trans-Caspian species of hyacinths (Hyacinthus transcaspicus) is a Red Book perennial characterized by growth in high mountain regions in the territory of Kopetdag in Turkmenistan.

Hyacinth no larger than 20 cm. Leaves of a belt-shaped form of grassy green color. More often the plant has one peduncle, much less often - two. Flowers have a light blue color, gather in groups of 5 to 10 pcs. in the brush. Flowering occurs in May. After the end of the flowering period, a fruit similar to a box appears. Culture loves shady growing conditions.

East hyacinth

Oriental hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) is a species that differs from others in numerousness and has become the founder of all known decorative varieties of this culture.

In most cases, representatives of this species grow from 20 to 35 cm, have green leaves in the form of a belt, and produce one voluminous peduncle from 15 to 20 cm in length. Hyacinth is made beautiful by dense lush large inflorescences, collecting from 20 to 50 flowers on small-sized legs.

Inflorescences have a diameter of up to 8 cm. Natural for eastern hyacinth is white and blue. Collectors derived plant varieties, the inflorescences of which differ in almost all bright colors. Oriental hyacinth blooms from April to May. It bears fruit in the form of a box in which a small amount of black seeds ripens.

Did you know? Hyacinth is called the flower of the rain: it grows and blooms not only in the soil, but also in one water.

Bulbs up to 6 cm in diameter, on top covered with a kind of bluish-pinkish scales. The roots are filiform, poorly developed, this is due to the fact that nutrients accumulate in bulbous scales. Hyacinths have a short vegetation period in spring, when the soil remains moist, which also does not necessitate a special development of the root system.

After this period comes a long rest. When flowering ends, part of the plant dies above the ground, and a young bud is formed at this place, from which leaves will subsequently appear. The main bulb gives the daughter, which is used as material for propagation.

There are several hundred names of various varieties of eastern hyacinth, the description of which differs in basic characteristics:

1. Delft Blue (Delft Blue) - an early variety of large-flowered, blue flowers, inflorescences up to 15 cm in size, are characterized by a strong smell. Representatives of the variety rise up to 30 cm. Flowering begins with the advent of May and lasts 1.5–3 weeks. Looks great in landscape design.
2. Anna Maria (Anna Marie) is a medium variety with dark pink flowers, framed by a whitish rim, which brightens as the color changes. Inflorescences are oval. Varietal representatives grow to a quarter meter. Covered with flowers from 1.5 to 2.5 weeks.
3. City of Haarlem (City of Haarlem) - a late variety of inflorescences having yellow flowers at the beginning of flowering and pale cream flowers at the end of the process, diameter from 4 cm. The length of inflorescences from 12–35 flowers is from 10 to 12 cm. The height of the variety is from 25 to 27 cm Characterized by a strong odor. Flowering lasts from 15 to 17 days.
4. Fondant (Fondant) - medium variety, fragrant dense large inflorescences of which are bright pink in color with a pearly tint. Peduncles without leaves, barefoot. The height of the specimens is more than a quarter meter. They begin to bloom with the arrival of the last spring month, and this process continues from 1 to 1.5 weeks.
5. Carnegie (Carnegie) is an early variety. White flowers gather in dense cystic inflorescences, diameter up to 5 cm. The aroma of the culture is quite strong. Representatives of the variety grow up to a quarter meter. Bloom from 13 to 18 days.
6. Pink pearl (Pink Pearl) - an early variety with flowers of a delicate pink color, having a tangible pleasant smell. The length of the dense and voluminous inflorescences is up to 19 cm; they consist of about 4 dozen flowers. Representatives of the variety grow from 20 to 23 cm. Bloom for 3 weeks.
7. Jan Bos (Jan Bos) - an early variety, voluminous inflorescences up to 12.5 cm in size, consisting of 2 dozen flowers. The inflorescences are red, the aroma is palpable. Plant height from 17 to 25.5 cm. Blooms up to 3 weeks.
8. Jeepsie queen (Gipsy Queen) - late variety with solid inflorescences. Fragrant flowers in the form of stars, bright orange. The height of the representative of the Gypsy Queen is from 25 to 28.5 cm. Blooms from 12 to 15 days.
9. China Pink (China Pink) is a medium-sized plant variety that has cone-shaped inflorescences with pinkish pearly color, up to 15 cm high. The flowers are characterized by the density and roundness of the petals. Representatives of the variety grow up to 27–29 cm, bloom 2.5–3.5 weeks.
10. Double Eros (Double Eros) is a medium variety from the terry group, the height of which reaches 30 cm. Dense white cylindrical flowers with stripes have bright pink edges, gather in inflorescences from 20 to 45 cm high. Lily-shaped leaves with pointed edges. The flowering period since the beginning of May is approximately 1.5 weeks.
11. Blue star (Blue Star) - an early variety with cone-shaped inflorescences, densely strewn with large and dense petals. The color of flowers is blue. Plants grow up to a quarter meter. Flowering duration up to 3 weeks, begins with the onset of May.
12. Miss Saigon (Miss Saigon) - an early variety with light lilac inflorescences from flowers with a pearly tint. Recognizable aroma. The inflorescences are cone-shaped, more than 20 cm long, unite small flowers, the number of which varies from 25 to 40. Representatives of the variety grow up to 26 cm. They bloom for 1–1.5 weeks, starting from the first days of May.
13. Splendid Cornelia (Splendid Cornelia) - an average variety of inflorescences with star-shaped flowers of bright lilac-pink color. Leafless peduncles grow up to 20 cm. The height of the variety is up to 26 cm. Blossoms from 2 to 2.5 weeks.
14. Aida (Aida) is a variety of hyacinths, the inflorescences of which have a spherical shape of small ultramarine flowers, up to 4 cm in diameter. Plants can reach a height of 35 cm. The flowering period lasts from 8 to 10 days.
15. Yellowstone (Yellowstone) is a late variety whose plants have a delicate yellow color. Plant height from 30 to 35 cm, from 4 to 6 cm in diameter. Blossoms in April, flowering period from 10 to 15 days. It produces a persistent odor. It tolerates low temperatures.
16. Woodstock (Woodstock) - an early variety of plants with inflorescences consisting of fragrant burgundy bell-shaped flowers. Plant height from 25 to 30 cm. It begins to bloom with the onset of May, the process lasts from 10 to 15 days.
17. Peter Stuyzant (Peter Stuyvesant) - an early variety. Flowers of violet color with a blue pearly shimmer, fragrant. In an oval-cylindrical inflorescence up to three dozen flowers, its height is up to 15 cm. The height of the variety is up to 30 cm. It blooms from 18 to 20 days.
18. Scarlet pearl (Skarlet Pearl) is an early variety of hyacinths that produce a persistent sweetish aroma. It consists of dense inflorescences, the height of which ranges from 12 to 15 cm. Raspberry flowers. The flowering period, starting in April, is from 18 to 20 days. Recommended to grow in lighted areas.
19. Blue Pearl (Blue Pearl) is an early variety that begins to bloom in April for 12–20 days. Inflorescences of a blue color with a violet shade are characterized by density, consist of approximately 50 flowers. Fragrant flowers do not fade for a long time. Plant height from 25 to 35 cm. Prefers shady, windless places.
20. All Stars (All Stars) - an early variety of plants with inflorescences of lilac-honey color, in large flowers of which there is a honey eye. Inflorescences can consist of 25-40 flowers. Long do not fade. Plant height up to 25 cm. Blossoms from 13 to 16 days.
21. Pink Surprise (Pink Surprise) is one of the earliest varieties with a fragrant aroma. Cylindrical inflorescences consist of 35–40 flowers, have a delicate pink color. The duration of flowering is from 15 to 18 days.
22. Red Magic (Red Magic) - an early variety, the plants of which form cylindrical-spherical inflorescences, consisting of wide-open red flowers with white inclusions. The flower has a fragrant aroma. Plant height up to 25 cm. Blooms from 15 to 20 days.
23. Sky Jacket (Sky Jacket) - a late variety of plants with dense inflorescences of blue large fragrant flowers. The length of the inflorescences is from 12 to 15 cm. It blooms from 18 to 20 days.
24. Amethyst (Amethyst) - a late variety of hyacinths having a cylindrical form of an inflorescence of lilac color with a pinkish-blue tint. The height of amethyst plants is from 18 to 20 cm. The flowering period lasts from 17 to 20 days.
25. Blue Jacket (Blue Jacket) is an early variety. Lush large cylindrical inflorescences consist of blue flowers with dark longitudinal veins. Plant height from 25 to 30 cm. Flowering period lasts from 10 to 15 days.
26. Anna Lisa (Anna Lisa) - an early variety. Fragrant inflorescences are pink in color and consist of many small flowers that create a sense of density. Plant height from 20 to 30 cm. Flowering duration - from 10 to 15 days.
27. Rosetta (Rossette) - one of the most beautiful early varieties, the inflorescences of which consist of double pink flowers. The inflorescences are large, cylindrical in shape, smell pleasantly. Blooms up to 20 days.

Hyacinths Growing

Before planting hyacinths at a permanent place of cultivation, the bulbs can undergo a distillation process for 2–3 months at room temperature in a pot, which helps to improve the growth rate of the crop. When the sprouts reach a length of 10 cm, the plant can be planted in the ground, the air temperature should not fall below + 15 ° C.

Did you know? In France, hyacinth was used to intoxicate and poison adversaries. The bouquet, saturated with poison, was placed in the victim's room, which inhaled the aroma of the plant, drowning out the smell of poison.

Before planting hyacinths, you first need to prepare the soil. This culture is sensitive to the composition of the soil, which should be loose, fertile, fertilized with nutrients. Silt-sandy, loamy, chernozemic soils, which are characterized by good water permeability, moisture, fertility, are best suited for planting. Additionally, they can be fed with organic fertilizers. A month before planting, at the beginning of the autumn period, the area intended for planting is dug to a depth of 30 cm or more.

The cultivation of these plants in open soil is complicated by the selection of a suitable place for planting:

• it should be smooth, without recesses for stagnation of rainwater;
• for growing hyacinths characterized by the presence of heavy inflorescences, a plot protected from constant gusts of wind is suitable;
• groundwater in the place of planting should not be close to the surface of the earth;
• optimally suited to the best of a shady area with regular access to sunlight.

Important! Clay and poor sandy soils are not suitable for growing hyacinths. They can be improved with sand, fertilized with manure, peat, compost at the rate of several buckets per 1 m². After this, planting a crop is only possible in the second or third year.

The landing process, especially in the midland of Russia, should begin at the end of September, but no later than mid-October. When planting in early November, plants should be additionally insulated with leaves and other suitable material. If hyacinths are planted early, then they can begin to grow, if it is too late, the rooting process will not have time to finish before the soil freezes.

Principles for a successful landing:

• use not very large, but medium-sized bulbs;
• if previously compost and peat were not added to the soil before digging, then they should be added to the wells themselves;
• the minimum plot size for 1 onion is 15 × 20 cm;
• the depth of planting hyacinth in the pits - from 15 to 18 cm;
• in order to avoid rotting of the bulb and infection with their infections, it is recommended that the bulbs be planted in a sandy wrapper: they are placed in a layer of up to 5 cm of river sand, pressed in, sprinkled on top of them, and then ground;
• if the soil is not wet, it should be watered;
• in the presence of a large number of bulbs, they can be planted not in holes, but on beds formed at a height of up to 20 cm above the ground, placing them at a distance of 15 cm from each other;
• all work is recommended to be carried out in clear weather, without precipitation.

Important! Hyacinth bulbs can be bought in special stores or online, where free delivery of goods is possible. Prices in rub. depend on the variety.

Hyacinth care should be started after they are planted. It consists in regular watering, loosening the soil, removing weeds, and fertilizing. All operations must be carried out as necessary.

Hyacinth is a thermophilic plant that requires additional protection against low temperature conditions. Therefore, as you grow, for a successful wintering, you need to cover the culture with a 15-cm layer of humus, leaves, tree bark, peat, needles, spruce branches. In the spring, after the snow melts, plants need to be opened.

Feeding is recommended twice a season:

• after the appearance of leaves;
• after 14-20 days during the flowering period.

Mineral fertilizers are used for this at the rate of 30–40 g / m² of area. With nitrogen top dressing, you need to be careful not to overfeed the plants and not provoke putrefactive processes. In order to avoid the formation of crust after top dressing, loosening the soil should be carried out.

Although hyacinths are fairly hardy plants, they can be exposed to infections and pests:

1. Bulb penicillosis, or storage rot - a fungal disease that manifests itself before planting at temperature conditions below + 17 ° C and at the same time high humidity in the form of dry roots. If the roots grow prematurely, they should be planted immediately, and not kept indoors. Adequate ventilation helps to avoid the disease, the humidity in the room is below 70% and the optimum air temperature.
2. Wet or soft rot - infection with high air temperature and waterlogging of the soil, manifested in the form of weeping spots on the leaves, soft with an unpleasant odor and not giving sprouts of bulbs. The plant stops growing and dies. To avoid the problem, the bulbs should be planted at the optimum temperature and humidity level. Affected bulbs must be discarded, and plants destroyed.
3. Physiological apical rot - a disease in which the flowers turn white and gray, the stamens fade, the buds become glassy., The peduncle turns brown. To avoid the manifestation of the disease, you need to monitor the temperature in the room and the greenhouse, the humidity, and also do not water the plant itself. Affected instances cannot be restored.

As a result of a violation of the temperature balance, other problems in plants are possible:

• green tops - a disease in which the tops of the flowers remain green;
• bent inflorescence - uneven development of the sides of the inflorescence, as a result of which they bend;
• apical flowering - the upper flowers at the inflorescence blossom faster than the lower ones, which is a violation.

Important! You can not plant hyacinths in a place where other bulbous plants used to grow. It is recommended to alternate planting crops with green manure.

Pests threatening hyacinths:

• the root onion tick, in the fight against which treatment with 0.3 percent malathion helps for 30 minutes;
• stem nematode, which will be eliminated by planting hyacinths near marigolds, as well as steam treatment at a temperature of + 43 ° C of bulbs dug for winter;
• onion grub, in the defeat of which plants should be removed. Destroy it will help 5 percent infusion of ash (5 liters per 1 m² of land);
• the striped nutcracker, in the fight against which the deep digging of the earth, the application of lime, and the treatment of the bulbs with 12 percent hexachlorane helps.

Bulb harvesting and storage

Be sure to dig out the bulbs of hyacinths for the winter so that they do not freeze when the soil is freezing. Even if the plant does not freeze, it will not be able to bloom fully the next spring. Digging for the winter also allows you to discard damaged bulbs.

Important! After the hyacinth blooms, its bulbs in the ground should be at least a month old. In the period from May to June, the old foliage and stems of this plant do not need to be removed, it is recommended to mask them with thick plants.

Digging is done after yellowing of the leaves, after which:

• bulbs are dried for 4 days;
• cleanse from roots and earth;
• sort by size;
• determine the storage for the first 50 days at a temperature of + 25 ° С to + 27 ° С and humidity of about 70%, then until planting in the soil - at a temperature of up to + 17 ° С.

Hyacinths can become an impressive decoration of any garden, park, flowerbed, thanks to the unique color scheme that can be seen when growing different varieties of this plant. The main thing is to know all the features of this culture and the principles of simple care for it.