Muscari Armeniacum Blue Grape Hyacinth

Muscari planted in a favorable location where no water can settle during the winter can naturalize easily in climatic zones 4 – 8. A famous planting of them at the Keukenhof gardens in Holland is known as the ‘blue river’; this is a dense planting of muscari that winds through the shrubs, some of which bloom at the same time. Year after year, this is one of the most photographed scenes in this spectacular park. The species used in this location is Muscari armeniacum, the most familiar of the grape hyacinths and actually the only one that has a right to that name.

Muscari Armeniacum:
This is a gorgeous species which is becoming increasingly popular. Its flower cluster displays two different kinds of flowers. At the top are the sterile, light blue flowers. Below them are the fertile, dark purple-blue flowers. This broad-leafed species creates a lovely color combination all by itself. The plant grows to a height of approximately 10 inches (25 cm.) and flowers in April-May. It is a pretty addition to low-growing perennial plants or in the rock garden. In Holland, it was the ‘flower bulb of the year’ in 1996.