Muscaria armeniacum
Grape hyacinth does exactly what its name suggests: short dense spikes of tiny urn-shaped flowers in deep violet-blue, each one rimmed with a thin white line at the mouth, packed together so the spike looks like a miniature bunch of grapes. Muscari armeniacum is a small bulb and the whole plant stands about 20 cm high. Flowering runs August to October.
Blue this intense is scarce in early spring, which is why grape hyacinth is planted in quantity rather than singly. Run it as a river through a border, edge a path, plant it under deciduous trees and among later perennials, or fill a shallow pot. It works beneath tulips and daffodils, flowering at the same time and covering their bare stems.
Plant bulbs 5 to 8 cm deep in autumn, in full sun to part shade in free-draining soil. One thing to expect: the leaves come up in autumn, months ahead of the flowers, and look untidy through winter. That is normal and they should not be cut off. The bulbs multiply by offsets and by seed, and they have naturalised in parts of New Zealand, so plant them where spread is welcome.
Reaches around 0.2 m in flower, with foliage a little shorter.
Trimming: Leave the foliage completely alone until it yellows in late spring, then clear it. Cutting green leaves off, or tying them up, reduces the size of next season's flower spikes.
Deadheading: Snap the spent spikes off at the base if you want to slow the spread, since seed is one of the ways this bulb travels. Leave them where a drift is the aim.
Fertilising: Very little needed. A light general fertiliser as the flower spikes appear supports the bulb for next year, and nothing else is required.
Watering: Water through the growing season from autumn to flowering if the soil is dry. The bulbs are dormant over summer and prefer to be left dry then.
Pest Control: Slugs and snails graze the leaves through winter, and the damage shows for months because the foliage is so long-lived. Otherwise almost nothing troubles it.
Disease Management: Bulb rot in waterlogged ground is the main risk. Grey mould can affect flowers in a wet spring, and affected spikes should be removed. Plant in soil that drains and the plant looks after itself.
Enjoy complimentary delivery anywhere in mainland New Zealand when you purchase plants worth $250 or more*.
For orders below $250, the following flat-rate delivery charges are applicable:
- Urban delivery within mainland New Zealand: $19.95
- Rural delivery within mainland New Zealand: $39.95
- Waiheke, Chatham and Great Barrier Islands: Please contact us for shipping options.
We aim to have all orders shipped within 14 days from the order date, unless a different shipping date is specified alongside a product.
