Hyacinth – Hyacinthus orientalis

Common Name: Hyacinth

Botanical Name: Hyacinthus orientalis, hy-a-SIN-thus or-ee-en-TAL-is

Decorative Life: Can last 1-3 weeks depending on stage purchased and interior conditions.

Flower Color: Blue, Pink, Red, White, Yellow

Availability: Spring, Winter

Harvest when the first florets just begin to show color or earlier. Growers can use Florel to reduce or prevent stem topple.

• Member of the Liliaceae (lily) family.
• Native to the Mediterranean region and South Africa.
• Common relatives include tulip, lily, burn plant (aloe) and asparagus.

• Plant is a herbaceous perennial from a bulb, classed as a monocotyledon, leaves mostly parallel veined.
• The inflorescence is 4-6 inches long with bell-shaped florets.
• Stems are leafless (scape), thick and fleshy, 8-12 inches long.
• Flowers produce very strong and pleasant fragrances.

Marketable plants should be stored at 32-36F.

• Some less than honorable individuals have sold individual flowers of white flowered cultivars for the much more expensive stephanotis flower, also known as Madagascar Jasmine.
• With over 3000 species, the lily family includes many medicinal and food species in addition to ornamentals.
• The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology list this species as an allergy-safe pollen producing plant.
• Will generally do well in light levels at least bright enough to read a newspaper in comfort but more light would be better.

Hyacinth bulbs have been known for years to cause skin irritation, contact eczema and respiratory irritation in humans. Piirila et al. (1998) were the first to document occupational asthma caused by hyacinth.