About Hyacinth
The hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) is a bulbous plant that produces fragrant flowers in mid-to-late spring. The plants grow to be 8 to 12 inches tall and the flowers are arranged in a tight cluster at the top of the plant’s stem. The flower comes in a variety of colors, including white, pink, red, purple, and blue. The hyacinth flower belongs to the lily family, grows from bulbs, and requires cold weather for its proper development.
Fun Fact: The word hyacinth comes from ancient Greek mythology. It’s said that Hyakinthos was a young man who Apollo fell in love with. One day, Zephyrus (the god of the west wind) became jealous of Apollo and Hyakinthos’ relationship and blew a discus at them while they were playing. The discus hit Hyakinthos in the head and killed him—and when his blood hit the earth, it turned into a hyacinth flower.
Hyacinth Plant Characteristics
The hyacinth flower can have either single or double rows of petals and each petal is pointed at its tip. The leaves are narrow and strap-like and grow from the plant’s base. Hyacinths are commonly used for forcing indoors where their fragrance can be enjoyed during the winter months. The plants also make excellent cut flowers for indoor bouquets as well as outdoor beds and borders. Flowering lasts for about three weeks and when flowering is complete, hyacinth plants should not be discarded but rather moved to areas where they will receive full sun during the summer months.
Why You Should Have Hyacinth Plant?
- The flowers of the hyacinth plant contain antioxidants that help boost the immune system and fight off germs. They have been used as an herbal treatment for colds, fevers, and even the flu. The flowers can be eaten raw or cooked, depending on your preference.
- Hyacinth plant benefits include helping with digestion as well. The bulbs of these plants contain fiber, which helps with digestion by allowing food to pass through the body faster. This means that you will have less constipation when eating foods high in fiber content like fruits and vegetables.
- Another benefit of hyacinths is that they can help with weight loss and maintenance because they contain large amounts of potassium, which helps to regulate blood pressure levels in the body. This is especially important if you are trying to lose weight because it means that you will not feel hungry all day long because your blood sugar level is low.
Growing Hyacinth
Hyacinths are beautiful little flowers that are popular garden plants. The science behind the growth of these plants is just as fascinating as their beauty. Using an understanding of how the plant grows, you can successfully grow your hyacinths.
Hyacinths need to be planted in late fall or early winter. The bulbs are best planted when they are dormant, and the ground is cool enough for them to stay dormant until spring. They are traditionally planted about 4 inches (10 cm) beneath the soil’s surface.
The bulbs need to have at least 6 weeks before they will start to grow, so it is important to time their planting accordingly. Planting them too early could result in the plants emerging from dormancy before being exposed to sufficiently cold temperatures, which could result in smaller blooms and unhealthy plants overall.
Place the bulbs in some potting soil, and keep them watered but not soggy during their growth period. It is best if they get filtered sunlight during this period so that they can grow strong roots before breaking out of dormancy. This is especially true if you live in an area that has harsh winter weather conditions.
Caring Hyacinth
Although hyacinths are easy to care for, they’re also easy to kill if you don’t know exactly how much water they need. Indoor hyacinths do best when planted in a pot that doesn’t have drainage holes. This is because the bulbs need a certain amount of moisture, but too much water can lead to rotting.
Light Absorption
Hyacinths grow best in full sun or partial shade in well-draining soil that is moderately fertile. Although they can tolerate full shade, the flowers will not be as vibrant as those grown in the sun. Hyacinths are typically planted in the fall months, so they have time to establish a root system before spring arrives. The bulbs should be planted about 8 inches apart and 5 inches deep.
Watering Hyacinths
Hyacinths only need enough water to keep the soil from completely drying out. They will stay watered for a few weeks after you plant them, but as soon as the foliage begins to grow, check the soil often to make sure it doesn’t dry out.
Soil Requirements
Hyacinths will thrive best in ordinary garden soil, rich in organic matter and moist. The soil should be rich enough so that no fertilizer is needed during the flowering period.
Temperature and Humidity
They don’t need extra humidity, but they do like the temperature to be around 18°C (65°F) during the day and 10°C (50°F) at night.
Propagating Hyacinth
The easiest way to propagate hyacinth bulbs is by simply planting them. Hyacinths can also be propagated by division, which is done when the plant has finished blooming.
The first step in propagating the Hyacinth plant would be to choose a healthy mother plant that you would like to propagate from. You will then want to remove some healthy leaves from your mother plant and place them in a rooting medium such as potting soil or peat moss. You will then want to keep your newly rooted cutting in a warm and humid environment.
When your new cutting has developed roots you can then transplant it into your garden or a container. Once your Hyacinth cutting has been transplanted you can now enjoy watching it grow into a beautiful houseplant or garden addition!
Pest and Disease Control
Hyacinths are beautiful, fragrant flowers that will bring your garden to life. However, you’ll want to keep an eye out for pests and diseases that can affect this plant.
Hyacinths are relatively disease-free. Soil can occasionally become contaminated with a fungal disease called Fusarium oxysporum, which can cause root rot. This may be identified by discoloration (yellowing) of foliage or wilting of the plant. If the disease is suspected, treat it by removing the affected bulbs and replanting with fresh potting soil, ensuring that the soil has good drainage.
Similarly, hyacinth bulbs may develop a fungal disease called white rot, which causes softening of the bulb tissue, a smell akin to vinegar, and stems that fall over easily. An infected plant should be immediately removed from its pot and discarded; do not compost. The pot should then be thoroughly cleaned before replanting with new bulbs and soil.