Hyacinthus orientalis 'Queen of the Violets'

RHS

Bulbs Conservatory Greenhouse Houseplants

A bulbous perennial to around 30cm high, with strap-shaped, glossy green leaves. In spring, produces a dense cylindrical spike of fragrant, waxy, bell-shaped flowers, with petals pale purple at the edges and streaked rich violet in the centre

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: Accepted

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 can be grown indoors for earlier flowering. 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