Hyacinthus orientalis

RHS Plant Profile
common hyacinth

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Other common names

hyacinth

Bulbs Conservatory Greenhouse Houseplants
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A bulbous perennial to around 30cm high, with strap-shaped, channeled, glossy leaves. In spring, produces a dense cylindrical spike of fragrant, waxy, tubular bell-shaped flowers, pale violet at the base and near white above

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0-0.1 metre

Size

Time to Maturity
1–2 years
Max Spread
0-0.1 metre
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H4

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Asparagaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Columnar upright
Potentially harmful
Skin irritantOrnamental bulbs - not to be eaten. Pets: Skin irritant. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus
Hyacinthus are bulbous perennial with glossy, broadly strap-shaped leaves and fragrant, bell-shaped flowers with recurved petals, borne in loose or dense racemes in spring
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
Turkey to Israel

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moderately fertile soil with good drainage. Will tolerate partial shade but will not flower as well as in full sun. Protect container-grown plants from hard frosts and excess wet. Specially treated bulbs are available for earlier flowering indoors. See hyacinth cultivation for more detailed advice

Propagation

Propagate by division, separating offsets when dormant in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Houseplants
  • Patio and container plants
  • Rock garden
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Underplanting of roses and shrubs

Pruning

No pruning required; cut spent flower stems back to the base

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and snails

Diseases

May be susceptible to fungal infections, including hyacinth fire, blue mould rot and sclerotinia diseases, to bacterial soft rot and hyacinth yellows, and to some virus diseases