Where does it grow and why is the hyacinth called the rain flower. Hyacinth: photo, planting and indoor care, bulb forcing Location and lighting

Hyacinth- a wonderful perennial. Suitable for growing in open soil, indoors, for decorating bouquets. It can decorate miniature bouquets, be used as a decor for flower arrangements. This representative of the flora is one of the first to bloom. Starts its growing season at the beginning of the season.

Professional and novice flower growers are pleased with the help of magnificent fragrant flowers. Most subspecies of the plant are perennials. Only 2% of all existing varieties do not tolerate the harsh winters of the country. Latin name of the plant: Hyacinthus. In the common people, this representative of the flora is called "rain flower"

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Hyacinth native to Asia. It first appeared during the Roman Empire. In the 16th century, sailors brought the seeds of this representative of the flora to their homeland. The plant has taken root perfectly in the humid and mild climate of Holland. It fell in love with rich merchants for its unusual fragrant aroma. The plant immediately gained wide popularity. In the 17th century, new subspecies of the plant appeared. And by the 18th century, Hyacinth had more than 2,000 different varieties.

All plants had magnificent fragrant flowers, which differed in shade. An excellent color scheme has been developed. There were both ordinary flowers and plants with double leaves. Some of them even had several main peduncles. To date, the main suppliers of seeds and other planting material are Holland and England.

general description

Depending on subspecies The height of Hyacinths reaches 20-60 cm. It has narrowed linear leaves growing just above the root system.

The peduncle of the plant is leafless, very fleshy, elongated. Flowers grow from it, formed into a spike-shaped inflorescence - the sultan.

Hyacinth leaves are elongated, juicy, emerald. They have a grooved shape. In length reach from 15 to 20 cm. No more than 4-8 narrowed leaves grow on one plant. The flowers have single row stamens. The fruits are three-celled capsules. Bulbs are formed in the form of a wide cone.

Important! This representative of the flora is ephemeroid. It has a short growing season, which falls at the beginning of spring.

Spring period

In early spring, the first leaves of this wonderful plant appear from the soil. They are a wide and thick tube with a sharp end. In such a tube, a compacted inflorescence of an emerald hue is formed. The leaves of the flower are frame-shaped, glossy, emerald, very bright. Periodically, they may open.

In the same period, a racemose inflorescence is formed and gaining a bright shade. After the full opening of the flowers, a dense and thick peduncle begins to rise. At this time, he does not have leaves on his trunk. Miniature leaves begin to form later. Hyacinth begins to reach for the sun. The plant reaches a height of 25-30 cm. Possesses dense forming flowers.

Bloom

All subspecies of Hyacinths delight beginners and professional flower growers with excellent colors. Flowers can be snow-white, amber, pink, lilac, purple and black.

The plant Hyacinth inflorescence contains at least 30 flowers. They can be tubular, bell-shaped or funnel-shaped.

The Hyacinth bulb, from which the bole grows, consists of fleshy lower leaves. A flowering stem grows from the trunk. It is a continuation of the bottom - a shortened trunk.

After flowering, the main branch, the leaves dry up and die. A bud is formed on the top leaf inside the bulb. Gradually, it becomes a new bulb, which begins to grow the next year with the advent of heat.

A new peduncle is laid in the kidney. The following year, the plant blooms again and pleases the grower with its wonderful aroma. Sometimes a young bulb can produce several shoots that need to be planted in autumn. Such bulbs are a full-fledged planting material. And next year they can also bloom, like the main buds.

After flowering, a three-nested box is always formed. It contains seeds. The box has a fragile skin. In strong winds, it breaks. Hyacinth seeds fall on new areas of soil, take root and grow.

On the left in the photo are Hyacinth seeds.

Spreading

In the wild, the plant grows in Asia. Prefers Mediterranean coasts. Also grows in Australia. Prefers rocky terrain in this area. Grown in England, Holland, China, Japan, Korea. In the Russian Federation, it grows in private garden plots. Sometimes the plant can be found in botanical gardens, greenhouses or flower shows.

Hyacinth is great for decorating flower beds and flower arrangements. Patterns, symbols, figures and even words are made from Hyacinth. That's why Hyacinth is one of the main plants used in landscape design.

The flower prefers light, breathable soil. Loves soil, which consists of coarse-grained sea sand, humus and black earth. Prefers soils that easily pass water. The soil of the plant should be neutral or slightly acidic.

plant species

Hyacinth includes several varieties. All varieties have a wonderful fragrant aroma. They differ in the shade of flowers, terry, leaf width and growing conditions.

It is considered the main subspecies. It is formed in the form of leaf-shaped rosettes. Grows on the surface of water bodies. Stays on the water with a porous fabric.

Another main subspecies is considered. It is a miniature bulbous plant. Its flowers are barrel-shaped. Formed in the form of a dense multi-flowered brush of blue or purple hue. Hyacinth also includes the following subspecies: Vostochny, Litvinova, Transcaspian, Arendsen, Linnosans, Carnegie, Edelweiss, Anna Marie, Pink Purple, Fondant and others.

Care

The Hyacinth plant is grown outdoors. Likes fresh air. Therefore, when breeding Hyacinth at room conditions, it is necessary for it to provide conditions close to natural.

Hyacinth is a flower that prefers systematic watering with water at room temperature. Responds well to the application of mineral fertilizers. Ornamental Hyacinth loves plenty of sunlight. The growing season starts at 15°C.

Important! In open ground, the plant is planted along with daffodils. Such flowers are perfectly cultivated and complement each other in flower arrangements.

Hyacinth is a beautiful plant with a wonderful floral scent. The smell of hyacinth is gentle, sweetish. Includes several varieties. It is a photophilous plant. Most often grows in well-lit forest clearings. Propagated by seeds and bulbs. Refers to heat-loving flowers. Can be used for cutting and decorating flower bouquets. The main suppliers of the flower are England and Holland.

Useful video

Further on the video: hyacinth flower description, as well as home care features

Hyacinth (Hyacinthus) - a beautiful bulbous plant from the Asparagaceae family, flowering in spring. From the ancient Greek language, the name is translated as “flower of the rains”, since the hyacinth blooms with the first spring rains. But the Greeks also called it the "flower of sorrow" and associated this flower with Apollo and the murder of the young son of the king of Sparta. This graceful plant is native to the Mediterranean and Southeast Asia.

The flowering stalk of hyacinth can be both undersized and quite high. A juicy peduncle comes out of the rosette of leaves with numerous flowers that resemble bells and are collected in a racemose inflorescence. Flowers are presented in the most unexpected shades. The leaves are smooth, fleshy, bright green.

Popular types of hyacinth

All possible hyacinths can be divided into three main types that grow mainly in Mediterranean countries. Although botanists continue to argue about some varieties, wanting to designate them as independent, according to official data, only the following main types of hyacinths are distinguished:

Eastern Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis)- the most famous and widespread type. It is from this species that the most famous ornamental varieties originate. It grows wild in Dalmatia, Greece and Asia Minor. . The peduncle of the plant is thin, the flowers are rare. The flowers have a different color and a pleasant aroma.

Hyacinth Litvinova- a perennial herbaceous plant that is cultivated more like an annual. In the wild, it is found in the eastern regions of Iran and Turkmenistan. Among this species there are both tall and short specimens. The flower is extremely beautiful. Blue, purple and greenish colors dominate. The leaves are slightly wider than those of the hyacinth orientalis.

Hyacinth transcaspian- has rather high stems, as a rule, two peduncles. The color of the flowers is always light blue. In the wild, it is found in the Kopetdag mountains.

Hyacinth care at home

Hyacinth is primarily a garden plant. If you want to grow it at home, you need to recreate the natural conditions as much as possible. This task is not an easy one, but with due diligence and zeal, a novice florist can also cope.

Location and lighting

The best option is the southern and southeastern windows. And the reason lies in the great love for sunlight. Hyacinth needs daylight - at least 15 hours a day. So, if you place it on the west or north side, you will have to help the plant with fluorescent lamps.

Even if the plant loves light, direct sunlight can harm it, so it is better to shade the windows on hot summer days or remove the plant from the windowsill during the day. The pot with the plant periodically needs to be turned in different directions.

Temperature

A sharp change in heat and cold, drafts, hot batteries - all this negatively affects the flower. The most suitable temperature for comfortable growth of hyacinth is 20-22 degrees Celsius. But, given that this flower is primarily positioned as a garden flower, then being on the street or balcony in the warm season will only benefit him.

Watering and humidity

The plant needs regular but careful watering. Watering must be carried out very carefully. If water is on any part of the plant, then the festering of this part may begin and as a result the hyacinth will die. A safe option is to irrigate by immersion, and it is better to refuse watering cans. Water should be warm, soft and settled.

Hyacinth does not need spraying. And when it blooms - it is generally contraindicated!

The optimal soil composition for hyacinth will be a substrate of leafy soil, humus, peat, soddy soil and sand. All this must be mixed in equal parts.

Top dressings and fertilizers

Hyacinth constantly needs top dressing. As a fertilizer, you can use any universal for indoor plants. Hyacinths in the garden can be fertilized both in dry form and in dissolved form. But before applying liquid fertilizers, the plant must be watered.

Bulb selection and forcing hyacinths

In order to get a beautiful flower in the future, hyacinth bulbs should be purchased only in trusted specialized stores. When buying bulbs, you need to carefully inspect and make sure that they are not damaged or diseased. A healthy plant will grow only if the bulb is elastic and smooth, which has a clear neck and shoulders. In most cases, the color of the scales and the bulb coincides with the future inflorescence. Its size does not always tell about the quality of the bulb, however, if its diameter is within 5 cm, this is a good indicator. The best time to buy bulbs is late summer.

If you are going to buy an already adult plant, you need to carefully examine the leaves and stem of the hyacinth. The stem should stand straight, the leaves should also look up, and the peduncle should not be tilted.

How to get flowers at the right time

In order to get a chic peduncle from the bulb, you need to provide the plant with the coolness of this autumn. During this period, the temperature regime should be within 5-9 degrees Celsius. This can be achieved by sending the plant to the basement or to the bottom shelf in the refrigerator. And to enhance the effect, the bulb in the ground can be wrapped with an opaque bag. Of course, care during this period is minimized. Surprisingly, it is these conditions that are optimal for the active growth of hyacinth. This usually goes on for 2 months.

When a sprout appears (about 5 cm), the plant needs "spring", that is, the temperature regime must be changed to 13-15 degrees. At this temperature, it must be kept until the first buds appear. And with their appearance, hyacinth needs a temperature - 20-22 degrees Celsius. The temperature transition must be smooth, otherwise the flower may die or look painful.

Hyacinth care after flowering

After flowering, during the dormant period, the most important thing for hyacinth is the correct temperature regime. Watering should be moderate. When the hyacinth fades and its leaves wither, it's time to take care of the bulb. The peduncle and leaves should be cut off, and the bulb should be dug up. This usually happens in June.

The bulb must be carefully examined, if there is a need (or for preventive purposes) to be disinfected. And then, changing the temperature regime from 30 to 17 degrees, store it until the autumn landing.

Planting a hyacinth at home in a pot

When planting a hyacinth, it is allowed to place up to 3 bulbs in one pot (their sizes are taken into account). It is impossible for the bulbs to come into contact with the walls of the pot and with each other - there should be 2 cm between them. The pots should be of medium size. Drainage is necessarily poured at the bottom of the pot - it can be river sand, which should occupy 2 cm in a pot. The top of the bulb should be raised above the soil. After planting, the substrate must be pressed, watered and sprinkled with sand. Then the pot must be placed in a bag, tied, but first make several holes in it and put it in a cool dark place.

Some grow hyacinths without soil in water. This is a very real way, but a prerequisite is mineral fertilizers dissolved in water. The hyacinth bulb should be on the surface of the container, only slightly touching the water. For some time it should be in a dark, cool room. And with the advent of roots, the plant should be relocated to a bright room.

Reproduction of hyacinth at home

There are several ways to propagate hyacinths. At home, relevant: baby bulbs and scales. In a natural way, a maximum of 5 children can be obtained from one bulb during the growing season. To achieve maximum results, use the method of cutting the bulb. The process requires a change in temperature regimes and regular treatment with a fungicide. But if everything is done correctly, then after 3 months small baby bulbs are guaranteed to appear.

Diseases and pests

The main pests of hyacinths: aphids, thrips, spider mites, stem and gall nematodes, flower flies. They are able to destroy the plant - the leaves turn yellow, wither, the buds fall off, the bulbs become rotten and rot. Each case has its own methods of control, but most of them are associated with the use of insecticides.

In addition to pests, various diseases that can be non-infectious, infectious, viral, bacterial and fungal in nature become enemies of hyacinths. The most common and dangerous are yellow bacterial rot and soft bacterial rot. In a diseased plant, the leaves turn black and dry from the top. Watery and brown stripes appear along the veins of the leaves and on the peduncle. First, yellow spots appear on the bulbs, and then the whole bulb rots and begins to emit a stench. This plant cannot be saved. The diseased plant and the bulb should be burned, and the hole should be treated with formalin or bleach.

Problems of growing hyacinths

If the hyacinth is not properly cared for, the following problems may occur:

  1. White Pearl, Carnegie, White Festival - pure white
  2. City of Haarlem - pale yellow
  3. Delft Blue, Blue Festival - blue, shades of Gzhel
  4. Ostara, Amethyst, Blue Jacket, Kronos, Peter Stuyvesant – purple
  5. Gypsy Queen - pale orange
  6. China Pink, Anna Marie, Pink Festival, Splendid Cornelia – pink
  7. Jan Bos – red-pink
  8. pink pearl – bright pink
  9. woodstock – burgundy
  10. Midnight Mystique black hyacinth, first introduced at the Chelsea Garden Show 2005 by Thompson & Morgan.

Hyacinth. Growing at home

If you want to practice breeding hyacinth at home, you will need to create conditions for him that are close to natural. It means cool content house hyacinth in the ground in winter with moderate moisture (on the loggia?), warmth and peace in summer and a natural transition between seasons. ABOUT growing hyacinth in the garden read below.

Hyacinth: planting and care

Plant hyacinth bulbs follows simultaneously with daffodils, in August - September, to a depth of 15-20 cm. The distance between plants is 15 cm. For better flowering and larger inflorescences, a little fertilizer can be added to each hole. Read about how and when to plant bulbs.

hyacinths they prefer an open, sunny or semi-shady location with protection from the wind and light structured soils, consisting of a mixture of sand and humus, with good water permeability. After hyacinth bloom cut the peduncle as high as possible and let the leaves turn yellow and die naturally so that the beneficial substances get back into the plant bulb. I mulch the soil right on top of the withered spring bulbous leaves with fresh compost. So three tasks are performed at once: protection and feeding primrose bulbs, as well as improving the appearance of the flower garden. Good care important to prevent hyacinth diseases.

Hyacinth propagation

propagate hyacinth small onions (baby), which on an adult bulb of a plant form an average of 3-4 per year. Baby carefully separated from the mother bulb during the summer dormancy (if it is easily separated) and planted in the ground before adult bulbs, at the end of summer. Such bulbs grow and bloom in 2-3 years. Hyacinth seed propagation practiced in breeding, but not effective in amateur gardening: the offspring will differ from the parent and will bloom only after 5-6 years.


Storing hyacinth bulbs

In regions with cold, damp summers, it is recommended dig up hyacinth bulbs in the first half of summer and store them in a warm (+20-22 degrees), well-ventilated and not too dry place until planting time. In progress storage of hyacinth bulbs check them and remove defective specimens at the first sign of decay. In warmer and drier regions hyacinth bulbs can be left in the ground for the summer, but they should be dug up every few years for division and transplantation.

Hyacinth in landscape design

Hyacinth is a traditional favorite of formal gardens, where the plant is planted in raised, symmetrical beds in an intricate pattern. Less pompous, but more elegant, for my taste, look hyacinths in natural gardens, scattered in picturesque mono- or multi-colored groups next to trees and shrubs or along a garden path. hyacinths great for cultivation in pots and containers that can be temporarily flowering put closer to the front door or bring into the house to appreciate the beauty and intoxicating aroma hyacinth flowers.

As is the case with others spring bulbous, do not forget that at the beginning of summer greenery hyacinths will disappear, leaving ugly bare places in the flower garden. Therefore, it is necessary to think in advance about the joint planting hyacinths(for example, with annuals, if hyacinth bulbs will be dug up for the summer) or plant hyacinths next to beautiful perennials, whose lush greenery in the summer will mask the resulting voids.

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Hyacinths - growing: planting and care, hyacinth after flowering

Flower hyacinth (lat. Hyacinthus), - a genus of bulbous perennials from the Asparagus family, although it was previously isolated in a separate Hyacinth family or included in the Liliaceae family. From ancient Greek, the name of the flower is translated as "flower of the rains." The hyacinth got its name in honor of the hero of the ancient Greek myth: in those distant times there lived a beautiful young man Hyacinth, the son of the king of Sparta, a young friend of the god Apollo, who often descended from heaven and taught Hyacinth to throw a disc. During one of the trainings, Apollo threw a disk, and Hyacinth rushed after him to pick it up and bring it to Apollo, but the god of the West Wind, secretly in love with the prince, in a fit of jealousy turned the flying disk so that he broke the young man's head. Hyacinth was bleeding in the arms of his all-powerful friend, who could not save him... Heartbroken and filled with tenderness, Apollo created an amazingly beautiful flower from Hyacinth's blood and gave him the name of the deceased young man...

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Hyacinth flowers - description

Hyacinths are one of the earliest spring flowers. The homeland of hyacinths is the Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean, but Holland has done so much to popularize them that it can rightfully be called the world's "hyacinth center". The largest number of varieties and varieties of hyacinths was created in the Netherlands, and every year millions of hyacinth bulbs are sent around the world from the Dutch city of Haarlem. Dense bulbs of hyacinths consist of succulent grassroots leaves, and the flowering stem (30 cm in height), which is a continuation of the bottom, dries up after flowering, along with narrow, upward-pointing leaves, sitting at the very bottom of the stem, but in the corner of the top leaf, on the stem inside bulbs, a bud is formed, gradually turning into an onion that will bloom next year. In the corners of other leaves, weak bulbs often also form, the so-called babies, which can be separated and used for vegetative propagation. Hyacinth flowers are collected in apical racemes, having the shape of a cylinder or cone. The perianth of the flower is a brightly colored bell-shaped funnel with recurved lobes. The shades of hyacinth color represent a wide palette: white, red, pink, purple, blue, pale yellow. In the form of flowers, hyacinths are simple and double. The fruit of the hyacinth is three-celled, in each nest there are two seeds with a delicate peel.

  • Types and varieties of hyacinths

    Hyacinths have been grown at home and in the garden for about 400 years, and more recently it was believed that there were about 30 species and 500 varieties of hyacinths. But after the reorganization of classifications in botany, most of the species were transferred to another genus. Now only three types of hyacinths are classified: oriental hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis), Litvinov's hyacinth (Hyacinthus litwinowii) And hyacinth transcaspian (Hyacinthus transcaspicus)- these species are the basis for the cultivation of countless varieties and varieties of plants. Varieties of hyacinths are divided according to the shape of the flower (simple and double), according to the timing of flowering (early, medium and late) and the color of the flowers. In the classification according to the color of the flowers, hyacinths are divided into six groups:

    Blue hyacinths:

  • Perle Brillante- late hyacinth pale blue, height - 25 cm, blooms up to three weeks;
  • Marie- an early variety of dark blue color with a purple longitudinal stripe blooms for 16-18 days;
  • Queen of the Blues- medium-flowering variety of light blue color with a weak aroma, height - 30 cm, blooms up to two weeks;
  • Lilac hyacinths:

  • blue magic- a medium-flowering variety of purple-violet color, 25 cm high, blooms for 10-12 days;
  • Indigo King- late variety of black-violet color, shiny flowers, arrow height 15-17 cm, blooms for two weeks;
  • Bismarck- early variety, pale purple flowers with a brighter longitudinal stripe, height - 22-25 cm, blooms for two weeks;
  • Pink hyacinths:

  • Moreno- early variety, pink-crimson flowers with a dark stripe, peduncle height - 20-23 cm, blooms for 13-18 days;
  • Anna Marie- medium-flowering hyacinth with an arrow height of 20-25 cm, blooms for 15-17 days with pale pink flowers;
  • Gertruda- late variety, dark pink flowers on a peduncle 23-25 ​​cm high, blooms for 13-15 days;
  • Red hyacinths:

  • Hollyhock- late terry variety of red-crimson color. Peduncle height 20-22 cm, blooms 15-18 days;
  • La Victoire- early variety, brilliant red-pink flowers on a stem 20-25 cm high, blooms for 11-12 days;
  • Tubcrgen's Scarlet- a medium-flowering hyacinth of bright red color, sometimes a double peduncle 20-22 cm high, blooms a little longer than two weeks;

  • White hyacinths:

  • Arentine Arendsen- an early variety of white, sometimes cream-colored, flowering period of 15-18 days, height - 21-22 cm;
  • Snow Crystal- late hyacinth, white, double flowers, bloom 13-18 days, stem height - 25-28 cm;
  • Madame Sophie- medium-flowering variety, white, double flowers, stem height 19-23 cm, blooms 13-15 days;

  • Yellow and orange hyacinths:

  • Yellow Hammer- medium-flowering variety of bright yellow color, fading by the end of flowering, arrow height - 23-25cm, flowering period 13-15 days;
  • City of Haarlem- late variety, flowers of a light yellow hue, by the end of flowering - light cream. Peduncle - 25-27 cm, blooms 15-17 days;
  • Oranje Boven- medium-flowering salmon-apricot hyacinth, dark pink along the edges, height - 22-24cm, blooms for two weeks.


  • As a rule, blue varieties bloom first, then white, pink, red, lilac. Yellow and orange varieties of hyacinths bloom later than all the others.

    Growing hyacinths - features

    Each plant has its own requirements in agricultural technology. The hyacinth flower is a capricious plant, and a florist who decides to decorate his garden with these flowers must know how to properly care for hyacinths. For a hyacinth lover, the following features are a must-know:

  • - the soil for hyacinths should be neutral and consist in equal parts of leafy and soddy soil with the addition of baking powder. If the soil on the site is acidic, it needs liming, sand will have to be added to the clay soil;
  • - good drainage is very important, because the hyacinth flower does not tolerate waterlogging;
  • - the lighting should be bright, but hyacinths do not tolerate an excess of direct sunlight;
  • - the site should be protected from strong winds, so many flower growers prefer to plant hyacinths near shrubs and trees;
  • - do not use fresh organic matter as fertilizer for hyacinths.
  • Planting hyacinths in open ground

    When to plant hyacinths.

    Planting hyacinths in the ground is carried out in late September or early October. With an earlier planting, hyacinths can quickly start growing and die during the winter cold, and with a later planting, hyacinths may not have time to take root before frost. You need to prepare the soil for planting hyacinths in advance: dig the soil to a depth of 30-40 cm, apply mineral fertilizers (approximately 70 g of superphosphate, 15 g of magnesium sulfate, 30 g of potassium sulfate per 1 m ?), three to four years of humus or rotten compost at the rate 10-15 kg per 1 m². If necessary (depending on the composition of the soil), also add sand or peat. If the soil is sandy, then the amount of magnesium and potassium fertilizers should be increased by one and a half times. Nitrogen fertilizers are best applied in spring and summer as top dressing.

    Planting hyacinths in autumn.

    As already mentioned, it is necessary to plant hyacinth flowers in open ground in September-October. Flower growers recommend choosing not very large bulbs for planting, but medium ones, the so-called flower beds, which will give flower stalks more resistant to bad weather. The bulbs are sorted out, soft, diseased and damaged are discarded. Before planting the bulbs, they are kept in a fungicide solution for half an hour.

    The planting depth of hyacinth bulbs from the bottom is 15-18 cm (for bulbs with a diameter of approximately 5 cm), the distance between them is 15 cm, and between rows is 20 cm. Smaller bulbs and babies are planted thicker and not so deep. The hyacinth flower grows well in open ground if planted in a “sand shirt”: a layer of pure river sand 3-5 cm thick is poured onto the bottom of the hole or furrow, the bulb is slightly pressed into it, covered with sand, and then with soil. This method of planting does not allow water to stagnate in the soil, therefore, the risk of bulb rot is reduced. After planting the bulbs, if the ground is dry, water the area.

    Planting hyacinths in spring.

    Hyacinth flower is not planted in spring.

    Caring for hyacinths outdoors

    How to care for hyacinths in the garden.

    So, how to care for hyacinth? Caring for hyacinths is not difficult, but the requirements for agricultural technology must be strictly followed. Firstly, hyacinth is clean, therefore weed control on a site with hyacinths - a mandatory rule. In addition, the plant needs constant loosening of the soil. If you want to make your work easier and at the same time protect the soil from drying out, and hyacinth from weeds and diseases, mulch the soil after planting. Concerning glaze, then it is necessary in a dry season: an earthen ball should get wet 15-20 cm deep.

    Hyacinth care also includes mandatory feeding. Feeding hyacinths carried out 2-3 times during the growing season. Fertilizers are applied both in dry form and in the form of solutions, but a little less fertilizer is put into the solution than with dry top dressing, and the soil is watered before liquid top dressing. Dry fertilizers are scattered on the ground and then buried in the soil with a chopper. The first time fertilizers are applied at the very beginning of growth (15-20 g of superphosphate and 20-25 g of saltpeter per 1 m ?), the second time they are fed during the budding period (15-20 g of potassium sulfate and 30-35 g of superphosphate), the third top dressing is carried out when the flowering of hyacinths is completed (30-35 g of superphosphate and potassium sulfate each).

    Hyacinth transplant.

    Transplanting hyacinth flowers is easy: in the summer, you dig up the hyacinth bulbs after flowering, store them until the fall, and transplant them elsewhere in the fall. When to dig up hyacinths? About two months after the end of flowering, when the bulbs regain strength after this year's growing season.

    Propagation of hyacinths.

    Hyacinths are propagated by baby bulbs and seeds. For those who are engaged in plant breeding, the seed method is more suitable than others: in autumn, at the end of September, the seeds are sown in boxes with soil consisting in a ratio of 1: 1: 2 of sand, leafy soil and humus, and grown for two years in cold greenhouse, but seedlings almost never repeat the signs of parent plants, so amateur growers prefer the vegetative method of reproduction. True, the growth of children in hyacinth bulbs is slow: every year 1-3 children grow. If they are easily separated from the mother bulb, they are planted and grown, and if the children do not separate, then the mother bulb is planted along with the children.

    In industrial floriculture, artificial methods of reproduction are used, such as cutting and cutting the bottom: cuts are made on the bottom with a sharp sterile tool, or it is generally cut out so that the bulbs form new babies during further storage in a special way. Sometimes the result is stunning - up to forty babies on one bulb. If you are interested in these methods, you can learn about them in detail in the book "Propagation of Plants" by F. McMillan Brose.

    Diseases and pests of hyacinths.

    Hyacinth flowers do not suffer from excessive soreness, but if trouble has already happened and they get sick, then here is a list of reasons:

    • – acquisition of already infected planting material;
    • – too heavy acidic soil;
    • - you used fresh organic matter as a fertilizer;
    • - unfavorable predecessors;
    • - looked at the spoiled onion during rejection;
    • - neglected preventive disinfection of bulbs before planting;
    • - Hyacinths were planted very densely.
    • Most often, hyacinths are affected by yellow bacterial rot (a bacterial disease), which turns the bulbs into foul-smelling mucus. The first symptoms are stunting, spots and stripes on the peduncle and leaves. Affected plants should be dug up and burned, and the hole should be etched with bleach. Penicillary rot (fungal disease) is expressed in the fact that all above-ground parts are covered with plaque (the product of sporulation of the fungus) and rot, the flowers dry. They fight the fungus by spraying with copper-containing preparations.

      Of the pests, flower flies cause trouble for hyacinths, whose larvae eat the bottom of the bulb. Destroy them with the preparations "Fly Eater", "Aktara", "Tabazol". The bear, which feeds on the underground organs of plants, as well as the root onion mite, also harms, and the best way to deal with them is soil mulching.

      Sometimes this happens with hyacinths: the inflorescence, not having time to appear from the outlet, falls out of it. The reason for this phenomenon is not a disease, but an excess of moisture in the soil, too early planting or storage at too low a temperature.

      Hyacinths after flowering

      Hyacinths have faded - what to do?

      Caring for hyacinths after flowering is to give their bulbs the opportunity to restore their strength. To do this, they must still be in the ground for some time. How to care for fading hyacinths? It is only necessary to gradually reduce watering until it stops completely. In addition, this period is the third top dressing with mineral fertilizers, which will add nutrients to the bulbs for flowering next year. When it's time to dig up hyacinths after flowering, their yellowed leaves will tell you.

      Dig up hyacinths.

      Hyacinth bulbs should dig annually, otherwise next year the flowering may be much poorer, in addition, the risk of bulb disease increases. Annual digging also allows you to control the condition of the bulbs and the timely separation of babies for growing. Don't wait for the leaves to die and fall off, because it will be difficult to locate the bulb later. They dig the bulbs with a shovel, since they sit quite deep in the ground, wash them in running water, pickle them for half an hour in a three to four percent solution of karbofos, or stand for 10 minutes in water heated to 50 ° C. Then they are aired and dried in a dark place at 20 ? C for a week.

      Storing hyacinth bulbs

      The most crucial period is coming, because at this time an inflorescence is formed in the bulb. Dried bulbs are cleaned of the remnants of roots and scales, divided into parsing and laid out in boxes, preferably in one layer. It is better not to separate a small baby. If there are not very many onions, they can be stored in paper bags with signed labels glued to them.

      Storage is carried out in two stages: the first two months, the bulbs are stored at a temperature of 25-26? C, and the third - at 17? C with not very low humidity, so that the bulbs do not dry out. It is possible to shorten the first stage by a week by creating a temperature of 30 ° C during the first seven days of storage. The room must be well ventilated. And before the autumn planting, it would be nice to hold the bulbs for a week at a temperature close to that in the garden. During storage, bulbs often form many small babies, so be very careful when planting them in the fall in the ground.

      Perennial hyacinth: popular varieties and their cultivation

      Rare primroses can be compared in beauty and originality with perennial hyacinth flowers - these "curly" inflorescences on strong, although not tall peduncles are good both for individual forcing and in groups. Most plants can envy the number of legends about the hyacinth flower, because this culture was named after the son of the king of Sparta, and who, if not the ancient Greeks, were famous for writing the most beautiful myths! You will receive a description of the flowers of hyacinths of the most revered varieties, as well as detailed recommendations for their cultivation in this material.

      The legend of the hyacinth and what the flower looks like (with photo)

      Already in ancient times, people admired the porcelain hyacinth inflorescences, made legends about it. Translated from Greek, "hyacinth" means "flower of the rain." The Greeks considered it also a flower of sorrow in memory of Hyacinth. The young son of the Spartan king Hyacinth overshadowed the beauty and dexterity of the Olympic gods. The young man was patronized by Apollo and Zephyr - the god of the south wind. They often descended from Mount Olympus to the beautiful young man and spent time with him, having fun hunting or sports. Once Apollo and Hyacinth began to throw the discus. Higher and higher the bronze projectile flew up, but it was impossible to determine the winner - Hyacinth was in no way inferior to God. With the last of his strength, Apollo threw the disk under the very clouds. Zephyr, fearing the defeat of his friend, blew so hard that the disk changed direction of flight and unexpectedly hit Hyacinth in the face. The wound was fatal. The death of the young man greatly saddened Apollo, and he turned the drops of his blood into beautiful flowers. In ancient Greece, there was even a cult of Hyacinth, who later
      crowded by the cult of Apollo. Hyacinth was considered a symbol of dying and resurgent nature.

      To begin with, a general characteristic of what a hyacinth flower looks like is a perennial corm plant of the lily family. Fragrant flowers resemble bells in shape with six bent petals. They are collected in a racemose inflorescence, in which there can be from 12 to 45 flowers. There are varieties with double flowers.

      As you can see in the photo of flowers, hyacinths come in a wide variety of colors - blue, lilac, pink, red, white, yellow and orange:

      The peduncle is leafless, erect, 15 to 45 cm high. Broad-linear leaves 25-30 cm long are collected in a basal rosette. The spherical bulb consists of 15-20 succulent storage scales, tightly adjacent to each other. They are located on a shortened stem - the bottom. Outside, the bulb is covered with dry covering scales. There is a certain relationship between the color of flowers and bulbs. Thus, varieties with blue, blue and purple flowers usually have bulbs with purple outer scales. White-flowered hyacinths have bulbs with light gray integumentary scales, while red-flowered hyacinths have dark cherry ones. Plants with yellow flowers have greyish-cream bulbs, while those with pink flowers have lilac bulbs.

      The most widespread are the Dutch hybrids of hyacinth orientalis. They are characterized by dense inflorescences of various colors - from white to intense purple. Peduncle 25-30 cm high. Suitable for group plantings in flower beds or in containers.

      Dutch hybrids are distinguished by color, as well as flowering time.

      There is also a group of Roman hyacinths. They have smaller and loosely sitting on a short peduncle (15 cm high) white, pink or blue flowers. Mainly used for forcing.

      Many-flowered hyacinths throw out several peduncles, the flowers are loosely arranged and have a white, pink or blue color. They are suitable for forcing and growing outdoors. Multi-flowered hyacinths, like Roman hyacinths, bloom earlier than Dutch hybrids.

      The last group is miniature hyacinths, or cintells. Represented by miniature (12-15 cm high) forms of popular varieties of Dutch hybrids, such as Delft Blue, Jan Bos, Lady Derby, City of Harlem, Lord Balfour.

      Popular varieties of blue and lilac hyacinths

      Blue varieties of hyacinths:

      "Bismarck". The flowers are pale purple with a darker longitudinal stripe, large - up to 4 cm in diameter, on long (up to 2.5 cm) pedicels. The inflorescence is broadly conical, 12 cm high and 9 cm in diameter. The inflorescence has 20-25 flowers. This one of the most popular varieties of hyacinths has a cetonos up to 25 cm tall. One of the best varieties for open ground. Early flowering. Suitable for early forcing.

      Delft Blue. The flowers are blue, large - up to 4 cm in diameter. The inflorescence is dense, wide, 10-12 cm high and up to 9 cm in diameter. There are 25-37 flowers in the inflorescence. The height of the peduncle of this variety of hyacinths is up to 25 cm. It is recommended for gardening, cutting, forcing.

      "Ostara". The flowers are blue with a barely noticeable darker stripe. The height of the peduncle is 20-24 cm. The inflorescence is dense, 12 cm high and 5 cm in diameter. An early flowering universal variety.

      Look at the photo, what blue hyacinths look like:

      Lilac varieties of hyacinths:

      "Amethyst". The flowers are lilac, more intensely colored along the edges, large, up to 4 cm in diameter. The inflorescence is dense up to 15 cm high and up to 8 cm in diameter, consists of 25-30 flowers. The height of the peduncle is up to 24 cm. Mid-late. Very good for ground planting and cutting, can be used for medium forcing.

      "Lord Balfour". The flowers are lilac with a dark lilac clearly defined longitudinal stripe, along the edges of the flowers have a darker color. Flowers up to 4 cm in diameter. Cylindrical inflorescence 12 cm high and up to 7 cm in diameter, consists of 20 flowers. Peduncle up to 24 cm high. Early flowering. In the group of lilac varieties is considered the best. Suitable for open ground, cutting and early forcing.

      White and pink varieties of hyacinth flowers (with photo)

      White varieties of hyacinths:

      "Innosance". The flowers are snow-white with a diameter of up to 4 cm, the petals are open, wide. The inflorescence consists of 20-25 flowers, cylindrical, up to 12 cm high and up to 7 cm in diameter. Peduncle up to 25 cm tall. Early flowering. One of the most popular all-purpose varieties: used for open ground, early forcing and cutting.

      "Carnegie". The flowers are white, up to 4 cm in diameter, collected in a dense cylindrical inflorescence, 10 cm high and 5 cm in diameter. The number of flowers in the inflorescence is 20-25. The height of the peduncle is up to 22 cm. Medium blooming. One of the best varieties for outdoor cultivation, cutting and forcing.

      Here you can see photos of white hyacinths, which are distinguished by their special beauty:

      Pink varieties of hyacinths:

      "Anna Marie". The flowers are pink with a darker longitudinal stripe. The inflorescence consists of 30-35 flowers. Peduncle height up to 25 cm. Early flowering. This pink hyacinth flower is recommended for flower arrangement in the ground and early forcing.

      "Lady Derby". The flowers are light pink, matte, with a darker stripe, 3-4 cm in diameter.

      Pay attention to the photo - this pink hyacinth has 23-25 ​​flowers in the inflorescence, cylindrical in shape:

      Plant height 11 cm and a diameter of 5 cm. Peduncle up to 22 cm high. Medium flowering period. Used for open ground, cutting and forcing.

      "Pink Pearl". The flowers are intense pink with a darker longitudinal stripe. The inflorescence consists of 20-22 flowers. Peduncle up to 23 cm high. Mid-early flowering period. Used in landscaping, for cutting and early forcing.

      Red, yellow and orange varieties of hyacinths

      Red varieties of hyacinths:

      "La Victoire". Flowers raspberry-pink, glossy. The height of the flower arrow is up to 25 cm. Mid-early. Recommended for early forcing, ground planting and cutting.

      Jan Bos. Flowers up to 3 cm in diameter, bright magenta-red color, lighter at the edges, with a whitish throat. In inflorescence 25-30 flowers. It is dense, small, round-conical, up to 10 cm high and up to 5.5 cm in diameter. Peduncle 16-18 cm high. Early flowering. The appearance of a second inflorescence is characteristic, which increases the duration of flowering. Very good for early forcing.

      Yellow and orange varieties of hyacinths:

      Gypsy Queen. The flowers are orange, collected in a dense inflorescence (of 20-25 flowers) of a cylindrical shape. Peduncle up to 22 cm. Medium blooming. Used for outdoor cultivation and forcing.

      City of Harlem. The flowers are light yellow, by the end of flowering - pale cream. The inflorescence is dense, cylindrical in shape, consists of 20-25 flowers. Peduncle 25-27 cm high. Medium flowering period. Recommended for flower decoration in the ground, forcing and cutting.

      Below are photos of the varieties of hyacinths most often grown in household plots:

      Conditions for growing hyacinths in open ground: planting and care

      For planting hyacinths in open ground, choose flat areas with good drainage and low standing groundwater, since even a slight stagnant water can lead to disease and death of the bulbs. These plants are early flowering plants, so they can be planted between trees and shrubs. In order to create ideal growing conditions for hyacinths in the southern regions, it is recommended to provide some shade during the midday hours, because in full sun the plants fade faster, and some varieties may also discolour.

      For growing hyacinths in open ground, cultivated light sandy loamy soils rich in humus with a neutral reaction are most suitable. Loamy soils are improved by adding humus and sand, and acidic soils must be limed. Before planting hyacinth flowers, the soil begins to be prepared 1.5-2 months in advance. A bucket of humus, 100 g of ash, 60 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium sulfate are added per 1 m2, combined fertilizer (25-30 g) can be used. Then the soil is dug up to a depth of 30-40 cm.

      Most flower growers grow hyacinths in beds 15-20 cm high and 1-1.2 m wide, which protects the bulbs from decay in rainy weather. Every 20 cm, transverse grooves are made 20 cm deep, coarse sand with ash is poured into the bottom of them to improve drainage and protect the bottom from decay. Large bulbs are stirred after 12-15 cm to a depth of 15-20 cm and covered with a mixture of sand, ash and earth. Small bulbs and a baby are planted at a distance of 5-6 cm from each other to a depth of 5-8 cm. After planting, the ridges are mulched.

      Bulbs are planted in autumn when the soil temperature reaches 8-9 °C. Such soil temperature and sufficient moisture are necessary for good rooting. In the middle lane, bulbs are usually planted in the second half of September, and in more southern regions - in October. After planting hyacinths when caring for bulbs in the open field, after 2-3 weeks, when the plants take root, you can give liquid top dressing with complex mineral fertilizer (20 g / m2). With the onset of frost, plantings are covered with foliage or spruce spruce branches with a layer of 10-15 cm. When snow falls, the ridges are covered with snow. When growing hyacinth flowers, it is recommended to change the planting site annually. Hyacinths return to their original place after 5-6 years.

      How to care for hyacinths: feeding and watering

      And now it's time to learn how to care for hyacinth flowers during the growing season. There is nothing complicated here: you need to remove the shelter immediately after the snow melts, regularly loosen, weed, discard diseased plants, water and fertilize. Although hyacinths come from warm countries, their resistance to cold during the spring development is surprising. They come out from under the snow in early spring already with buds. They can tolerate frosts down to -10 °C. Plants are insensitive to sharp daily temperature fluctuations.

      During the growing season, hyacinths are fertilized three times: the first fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizer is especially important - 15 g per bucket of water per 1 m2. It is carried out when the plants reach a height of 5-6 cm. The second top dressing is during the budding period at the rate of 20-25 g of complex fertilizer per 1 m2. Plants respond well to top dressing with infusion of bird droppings or enzymatic herbal slurry. The third time hyacinths are fed at the end of flowering - superphosphate and potassium sulfate, 20-25 g per 1 m2. Nitrogen is not included in the third top dressing. Together with superphosphate, wood ash can be added.

      Since hyacinths are salt-tolerant plants, some flower growers are limited to one top dressing in the budding phase: 70-80 g of complete mineral fertilizer per 1 m2. It is better to use a nitroammofoska containing an equal amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

      In the process of caring for hyacinths, do not forget to water them. In dry weather, watering is required after 2-3 days. Hyacinths are especially demanding on moisture during flowering. Watering continues after flowering - until the leaves begin to turn yellow.

      Reproduction of hyacinths by bulbs (with video)

      Hyacinth bulbs should be dug up annually, since a certain amount of temperatures is required to lay the next year's inflorescence. If the bulbs are left in the ground, then next year the buds will be small, green, underdeveloped. In the south of Russia, digging is carried out in mid-June, in the middle lane - in the second half of July, when the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry out, but have not yet separated from the bulb. Dug out bulbs are dried for 2-3 days in the shade in the open air. Then the earth is shaken off from them, carefully cleaned of roots, remnants of leaves and peduncles, sick and damaged are discarded. Before planting, the bulbs are stored at a temperature of 20-25 ° C.

      The main method of propagation of hyacinths, like most bulbous ones, is vegetative (by daughter baby bulbs), and propagation by seeds is used for breeding purposes. But the coefficient of natural reproduction in hyacinths is low. During one growing season, 1-3 babies are usually obtained from a large bulb (depending on the variety), and bulbs with a diameter of less than 5 cm do not form a baby at all. This prevents the wide distribution of hyacinths in culture.

      Propagation of hyacinths by bulbs is carried out in the fall, and after rooting, top dressing is applied to the soil.

      Back in the 18th century Dutch flower growers noticed that the bulbs with the bottom damaged by mice form a large number of small daughter bulbs. Since then, bottom cutting (partial and then complete) has been used to accelerate the reproduction of hyacinths.

      There are many ways to artificially propagate hyacinths: cruciform and annular incisions of the bottom, complete cutting of the bottom, isolation of the central bud, getting babies from individual scales and even from leaf blades, heating the bulbs.

      The video "Reproduction of hyacinths" will help you understand how to make incisions on the bulb correctly:


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    Hyacinths are very beautiful plants with bright and colorful flowers that look like small bells. Flowers can be single or double with a variety of colors, have a pleasant aroma and an early flowering period. This is a garden plant, but if you create conditions close to natural, you can successfully grow hyacinths at home.

    Hyacinth is interesting in that it can be grown both in garden conditions and at home. But it cannot constantly grow in some kind of container and delight you with flowering. In the process of forcing, the bulbs are greatly depleted, and they do not have enough strength to re-bloom. Therefore, the bulbs must be bought already prepared, past the dormant period. With the right observance of all conditions, you will get wonderful fragrant hyacinth inflorescences.

    When to plant hyacinth at home?

    Most often, a flowering plant is expected to be received by a certain holiday or date. On average, 14-15 weeks pass from the moment of planting to flowering, so you need to calculate this period in advance and start planting the plant on time.

    How does hyacinth grow at home?

    The plant grows best on windows facing south or southeast, because it loves the sun very much. During the day, the flower should be under lighting for at least 15 hours; in winter, you can additionally illuminate the hyacinth with fluorescent lamps.

    But, despite all the plant's love for light, it must be protected from direct sunlight, so at the height of a sunny day it is better to remove the flower from the window or shade it with something. So that the plant does not lean to one side, it must be rotated periodically.

    The temperature regime should be from 20 to 22 degrees, there should be no sudden changes in temperature and drafts.

    You can also grow hyacinths without soil - in water. This method is called hydroponics. Dissolved mineral fertilizers must be present in the water. It is necessary to ensure that the bulb is only partially immersed in the container - with the bottom. At first, the plant is placed in a dark and cool place, and with the appearance of roots, it is transferred to a bright room.

    Breeding hyacinths at home

    Thanks to the success of breeders, at this stage of time, there are many varieties of hyacinths. Many of them can be grown at home. All home hyacinths belong to the same species - oriental.

    To grow beautiful and healthy hyacinths at home, you need to properly prepare:

    • choose high-quality planting material;
    • choose the appropriate container;
    • buy or prepare soil.

    Bulbs are recommended to be used healthy, without damage and rot, with a diameter of at least 5 centimeters, it is advisable to take them in a specialized store. A small bulb may not bloom in the first year. It is best to purchase bulbs at the end of summer, after a natural dormant period.

    Before landing, it is necessary to treat it with special disinfectants.

    Next, you need to choose a suitable container for planting. It shouldn't be very deep. It does not matter what material it is made of, the main thing is that there are drainage holes.
    The soil can be purchased at the store (but it should not be acidic) or you can make your own by mixing components such as turf, compost, leafy soil and humus in a 1: 1 ratio, and adding a little peat and sand.

    Hyacinth must be constantly fed and fertilized. An all-purpose houseplant fertilizer is great for this.

    How to plant hyacinths at home?

    At the bottom of the tank, a drainage layer of expanded clay is poured. Spread a small layer of soil and cover with a thin layer of sand. One or several bulbs are placed on the sand to form a whole bunch of flowers.

    When placing several bulbs, make sure that they do not come into contact with each other and with the container.

    The bulbs are gently pressed into the ground and covered with earth, the top of the bulb must remain in the air, one and a half centimeters. From above, you can fall asleep with a thin layer of sand, this will protect the plant from decay.

    After planting, it is necessary to moisten the soil, wrap the container in an opaque bag and place it in a cold room, such as a cellar or garage, it can also be a refrigerator. In the cold, the bulb should be from 6 to 10 weeks. The temperature should not be higher than 5 degrees and there should be no lighting at all.

    For hyacinth, such conditions serve as an imitation of winter; without them, it will not be able to bloom. During this period, care is minimized, it is only necessary to occasionally get the plant and check that the soil does not dry out.

    As soon as a sprout appears, no more than 5 cm high, the plant must be moved to a bright and warmer room, to create the effect of "spring". There the flower is until the formation of the first buds, then, increase the temperature to 20-22 degrees. The change in temperature regime should be smooth, otherwise the plant may get sick and not bloom.

    How to care for hyacinths at home?

    Hyacinth is an unpretentious plant and, with proper care, flower growers with different skill levels can grow it.

    With improper care of hyacinth, the following problems may occur:

    1. The flower stops blooming. Most often this is due to unsuitable temperature conditions.
    2. . This can happen with improper watering or due to drafts.
    3. Leaf wilting. With a lack of natural light.
    4. Falling buds. This is due to improper watering.
    5. Flower decay. This happens with too frequent or abundant watering.

    Hyacinth: how to water at home?

    You need to make sure that the soil around the bulb does not dry out. It must be watered regularly and carefully, while it must be controlled so that water does not fall on the plant itself (leaves, flowers), this can cause them to rot. Water must be poured onto the edge of the container or into the pan. Excess water must be poured out so that the root system does not rot. Water should be settled or filtered, at room temperature.

    Many gardeners look forward to the flowering of their bulbous favorites, the charming hyacinths, in early spring. After a long and dull winter time, spring hyacinths delight with their strength and beauty, warm the soul and cheer up.

    Rain flower - this is how the name Hyacinthus is translated from Greek. Asia Minor and North Africa are considered the birthplace of the flower, but Holland has become a modern hyacinth paradise. Every year, the Dutch city of Haarlem sends millions of varietal bulbs of these bright plants to all countries of the world.

    general description

    Hyacinth is a bulbous perennial flower belonging to the Asparagus family. The bulb of the plant is large and dense, the circumference around its bottom is occupied by fleshy lower leaves. An adult plant throws out 1 or 2 flowering stems that reach up to 30 cm in height.

    The beautiful appearance of the flower lasts about 2 weeks. After flowering, a bud is laid on the bulb, which eventually turns into a new bulb, already giving a small inflorescence the next year. In addition to it, other smaller bulbs are formed on an adult bulb, which can also be separated and grown to maturity.


    The hyacinth flower after flowering often produces fruits with three nests in which the seeds are located. The adult bulb has a spherical or wide conical shape, some varieties are dotted with numerous scales.

    The leaves grow upward, they are fleshy and smooth. After the death of the peduncle, the leaves lengthen and fall to the ground. Hyacinth flowers have a pleasant aroma, they are collected in racemose inflorescences, on which there are from 12 to 35 flowers.

    plant classification

    Hyacinths have been grown in home gardens for over 400 years. The main classification includes 3 types of plants:

    • eastern, the most popular and common type of plant. On its basis, almost all known decorative varieties of rain flowers are grown. These peduncles are white, pink, blue or yellow;
    • Hyacinth Litvinov. It has wider leaves of a bluish tint, flowers are predominantly blue in color with large stamens;
    • transcaspian flower. It has 1 or 2 inflorescences with light blue flowers.


    The above species are the basis for the selection of other subspecies and modifications of the plant.

    Hyacinths also differ in the shape of the flowers themselves - there are simple and double flowers. According to the flowering period, the plant is divided into early, middle and late species.

    According to the color of the flowers (photos of hyacinth are full of the brightest colors), white, blue, pink, raspberry, lemon, lilac and apricot inflorescences stand out. Blue, white and pink hyacinths are usually the first to bloom in the gardens of our region.

    How to grow rain flowers

    Hyacinths prefer sunny and windless beds. It is advisable to choose surfaces that have a slight slope for the flow of spring water. Long-term moisture retention in the place where flowers grow can destroy planted bulbs.

    The soil for successful cultivation of plants must be permeable and fertilized with humus.

    For successful cultivation and abundant flowering, soil drainage plays an important role.


    Planting hyacinths

    The selected area for planting bulbs is best prepared in early or mid-August, a couple of months before planting. The earth should be dug up to a depth of 30-40 cm. As a fertilizer, humus, peat or mineral fertilizers, such as superphosphate, calcium sulfate or magnesium, are applied to the soil.

    Also, hyacinths respond well to the introduction of wood ash or dolomite flour. It is necessary to plant bulbs in well-moistened soil in the last days of September or early October. Early planting of hyacinths can lead to premature growth of the plant and its death during frosts.

    With the onset of stable cold days, a bed with planted bulbs should be covered with fallen leaves. In the spring, with the onset of warm days, the shelter is carefully removed from the garden. Under it, green sprouts of hyacinths will already be visible.

    Hyacinths love planting in a hole with river sand. Experienced flower growers pour some sand into the prepared pits, lightly press the hyacinth bulb into the sand, add a little more sand on top, and only then the soil is poured.

    Such an operation should definitely be done to reduce the risk of rotting of the bottom of the bulb, improve soil drainage and protect the flower from possible infection.

    Also, before planting, planting material should be treated with a solution of manganese.

    flower care

    Hyacinths prefer weed-free and loose soil. In spring and summer, flowers need top dressing.


    In early spring, during the beginning of leaf growth, a little superphosphate should be added to the soil, at the budding stage and at the end of flowering - superphosphate together with potassium sulfate. Also, the obligatory care of the hyacinth includes the obligatory watering of the plant, which can be reduced after the flowering stage.

    Bulb cleaning and storage

    The most optimal time for digging bulbs is the end of June or the beginning of July. You should look at the leaves of the plant: if they turn yellow and lie on the soil, it's time to take a shovel and remove the bulbs from the ground. Bulbs of Dutch hyacinths are best dug up annually, otherwise they may worsen their flowering in the second year of being in the ground without transplanting.

    You should carefully dig the bulb, rinse it in running water and dry it in the sun. If there are babies on it, it is better to separate them from the adult bulb before planting in the autumn. Small children should not be separated from the mother bulb.

    It is best to store planting material in unopened paper bags in a dry and warm place. It is convenient to attach labels with the name and color of the variety on the packages.

    Possible diseases and pests

    If you grow hyacinth outdoors in a sunny place, then the plants practically do not suffer from potential diseases and pests. Flowers most often get sick in greenhouses or during improper forcing.

    Hyacinths in open beds can feel bad only in the following cases:

    • if infected planting bulbs have already been purchased;
    • on the prepared bed in the spring there was a long stagnation of melt water;
    • diseases could be caused by fresh manure or an excess of other fertilizers;
    • dense planting also contributes to the spread of infection on the bulbs;
    • planting material was not etched in manganese before planting.

    A sick plant lags behind in growth, its flower stalks are bent, the foliage quickly turns yellow and fades. Most often, the flower is affected by yellow bacterial rot, which quickly turns the bulb into a rotten, fetid mass. Affected bulbs must be burned, and the soil where the diseased bulb was located must be treated with bleach.


    Medvedka, root onion mites and flower flies are the main enemies of hyacinths. Larvae of flower flies infect the bottom of the bulb, and the bear and the tick destroy the bulb as a whole. To combat them, you should use special drugs.

    Subject to all the simple rules and methods of care, these wonderful flowers will decorate spring gardens and summer cottages for more than a year. Hyacinths have not only an incomparable appearance, but also a magical aroma. Growing hyacinths is not a very painstaking and complicated matter, as it might seem at first. But spring gardens, decorated with hyacinths, will sparkle with new colors and give flower growers a wonderful mood and bright emotions!

    photo of hyacinth

    Synonym: Easter flower.

    Hyacinth is a perennial bulbous plant. Thanks to large bright inflorescences and a wonderful aroma, hyacinth has found wide application in modern floriculture, it is grown both in open ground and in indoor culture, it is used for cutting and forcing.

    The plant is poisonous!

    Ask the experts

    flower formula

    Hyacinth flower formula: * O3 + 3 T3 + 3 P1.

    In medicine

    In official medicine, hyacinth is not used and is not listed in the State Pharmacopoeia. The plant is poisonous, used in folk medicine in some countries, as well as in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine. It is known that hyacinth oil also has some medicinal properties, which has also been used in traditional medicine in Asian countries.

    Contraindications and side effects

    All parts of the hyacinth are poisonous! Experts recommend to refrain from using this plant for medicinal purposes. Reception of the plant is categorically contraindicated for pregnant women, nursing mothers and children. It is important to remember that the hyacinth plant, as well as herbal preparations made on its basis, can cause severe poisoning, accompanied by vomiting, indigestion, weakness, loss of consciousness, convulsions. Hyacinth essential oil is also toxic and should not be taken orally!

    In perfumery and cosmetology

    Hyacinth essential oil is widely used in the perfumery and cosmetics industry, it is part of the French high-end perfumes. Hyacinth oil is also used to flavor oriental and floral perfumes.

    Hyacinth oil is added to various face creams and masks, it moisturizes dry and aging skin, improves firmness and elasticity, rejuvenates, eliminates fine wrinkles, tones and nourishes the skin.

    In horticulture

    Hyacinth is a favorite of almost all gardeners and landscape designers due to its decorative appearance and rich color range. Hyacinths are not only beautiful and showy, they are also popular because they bloom in early spring, when most plants are still dormant.

    Hyacinth orientalis (Hyacintus orientalis), which is the ancestor of all existing garden forms and varieties of hyacinth, is of the greatest value for horticulture. A characteristic feature of the hyacinth is a curly inflorescence.

    By color, hyacinths are divided into 6 groups: white, pink, red, blue and blue, purple and lilac, yellow and orange. Within each color there are simple and terry varieties. At the same time, breeders do not stop there and are constantly looking for new shades of different colors. For example, there are already types of hyacinths with black flowers.

    For the successful cultivation of hyacinths, soil fertility, its permeability and drainage are very important. The bulbs are planted in the fall, right before frost, mulched with straw or covered with spruce on top. In the spring, the covering material is removed shortly before the end of frost, and young shoots are shaded for some time. At the end of summer, the bulbs are dug up, dried in the shade in the fresh air in a warm place (this is necessary for the bulbs to ripen sufficiently for the next season) and stored in a dry place, in the sand, until the autumn planting in the ground or before forcing. Hyacinths are propagated by both seeds and bulbs. Reproduction by seeds is a rather lengthy process, since hyacinths grown from seeds bloom only in the fifth or sixth year. This method is used by breeders to obtain new varieties.

    In open ground, hyacinths can be grown in central Russia, although this is difficult due to the low winter hardiness of plants. It is advisable to cover the hyacinth bulbs with fallen leaves or sawdust, since not all varieties normally tolerate harsh frosty winters.

    In other areas

    Distillation of hyacinths

    Year-round cultivation of hyacinths in pots is called forcing. Preparation of the plant for forcing begins in the summer, at the time of collection and storage of the bulbs. The bulbs are dug up after the leaves have dried, sorted, washed, dried in the shade in a draft and placed in storage. For forcing choose absolutely healthy, heavy, dense, medium (but not less than 6 cm in diameter) bulbs. In the process of forcing hyacinth, it is necessary to artificially create an autumn-winter period, during which the synthesis and accumulation of substances that affect the growth of shoots in the bulbs take place. Therefore, planting material is cooled for a long time in the dark at a temperature not higher than +9°C. However, hyacinth bulbs prepared for forcing should be cooled only after a long dormant period, after the flower buds have formed. If this condition is not met, the plant will have "blind" buds.

    Also, hyacinth bulbs prepared in advance for distillation (that is, those that have passed the cooling period) can be purchased at specialized stores or garden centers. With timely and proper forcing of bulbs in the fall, it is quite possible to decorate your home with fresh fragrant hyacinths by Christmas or New Year.

    You can grow hyacinths even in water, using the simplest hydroponics method. For this, vases or glasses of a special shape are usually used. Water (preferably soft or rain) is poured into the lower part until the container narrows. An onion is placed in the upper part so that it almost touches the water, but does not sink into it. Then they act in the same way as with ordinary distillation: containers with bulbs are taken out to a dry, dark, cool place, and the water is changed every two weeks. Bulbs should eventually release abundant roots from the edges of the bottom into the water. After that, the hyacinths are taken out into a bright room, put on the windows, the plants start to grow and bloom.

    In other areas

    The smell of dried hyacinth petals repels moths and dust mites; for this, flower petals are laid out in fabric bags and placed in cabinets. Smoke from burning dry hyacinth petals will save you from annoying mosquitoes.


    Classification

    Hyacinth (lat. Hyacínthus) is a genus of plants of the Asparagus family (lat. Asparagaceae). Previously, it was allocated to its own Hyacinth family (lat. Hyacinthaceae) or included in the Liliaceae family (lat. Liliaceae). Until recently, it was believed that there were about 30 species and 500 varieties of hyacinths. But after the reorganization of classifications in botany, most of the species were transferred to another genus. Now only three types of hyacinths are classified: oriental hyacinth (lat. Hyacinthus orientalis), Litvinov's hyacinth (lat. Hyacinthus litwinowii) and transcaspian hyacinth (lat. Hyacinthus transcaspicus), these species are the basis for the cultivation of countless varieties and varieties of plants.

    Botanical description

    Hyacinth is a perennial herbaceous bulbous plant with a height of 20 to 40 cm. The leaves of hyacinths are basal, narrow, linear, grooved, juicy, bright green in color, from 16 to 20 cm in length, from 1 to 1.5 cm in width. Grow 4-8 pieces per plant.

    The flowers are located on a leafless fleshy peduncle. Formed into a brush in the form of an ear - a sultan. The flowers are very fragrant, the perianth is in the form of a bell-shaped funnel, the segments of which are almost equal in length to the tube, sickle-shaped or rejected. Single-row stamens are attached to the middle of the tube, located on short pedicels in the axils of the bracts. The inflorescences of wild-growing hyacinth are blue; in culturally bred varieties, the color can be varied: the flowers are blue, purple, blue, red, pink, yellow, white, simple and double in shape. Hyacinth flower formula - * O3 + 3 T3 + 3 P1.

    The fruit is a fleshy three-celled capsule of almost spherical shape, containing two seeds each with a fragile peel in the nest.

    The storage organ is a bulb, rounded and cone-shaped, with a diameter of 3 to 6 cm. It consists of succulent open storage leaf and grass scales. The outer scales are membranous, dry, of various colors. In plants with blue, blue and purple flowers, they are purple, with white - light gray, with pink - lilac. In the corners of green leaves, other, weaker baby bulbs are often formed, which can also be separated and planted, but they will bloom only after a few years.

    Spreading

    Hyacinth is native to the Middle East. From there, the hyacinth came to Turkey, where it gained great popularity, and then was brought to Europe, first to Austria, then to Holland.

    Under natural conditions, there are about 30 wild-growing species, widely distributed in the Mediterranean basin, in Asia Minor and Central Asia.

    Distribution regions on the map of Russia.

    Procurement of raw materials

    The part used includes hyacinth flowers, which are harvested at the time of their flowering. The flowers are carefully collected and laid out on pallets, after which they are placed in a place protected from sunlight and well ventilated. Raw materials should be turned over daily to prevent dampness, in which mold growth is possible.

    When the flowers dry well, they are placed in a linen bag and stored in a dry place. The shelf life of dried hyacinth is two years, then the healing properties of the plant are lost.

    Also, essential oil is obtained from hyacinth flowers by liquid extraction of the plant with petroleum ether. To obtain 1 kg of essential oil, about 5000 kg of raw materials are processed.

    Chemical composition

    The chemical composition of the plant is not well understood, however, science knows that hyacinth oil contains cinnamon, benzyl, phenylethyl and heptyl alcohols and the corresponding aldehydes, eugenol, methyleugenol and dimethylhydroquinone, a number of esters, heptanol-1, benzaldehyde, osnanthol, cinnamic aldehyde, and also methyl ester of methoxybenzoic and methylanthranilic acid.

    Pharmacological properties

    Hyacinth essential oil has antiseptic, bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, balsamic, sedative and astringent properties.

    Hyacinth oil is used as a disinfectant for wounds, cuts, and bites. It has analgesic properties in the treatment of catarrhal, purulent and ulcerative skin lesions. Hyacinth oil relieves pain from stretch marks and physical injuries, relieves muscle cramps, migraine headaches.

    The amazing floral aroma and relaxing properties of hyacinth oil are widely used in aromatherapy to get rid of neuroses and psychological disorders, calm the nervous system, get rid of insomnia and improve sleep.

    Application in traditional medicine

    In some countries, hyacinth is used in folk medicine to treat infections, as well as an anesthetic, wound healing and even anti-aging agent. An alcohol tincture is prepared from hyacinth, which helps with joint pain, for this purpose it is rubbed on the affected area several times a day.

    Hyacinth essential oil has been popular since ancient Greece, where it was considered an excellent “refreshing and sobering mind” remedy.

    Also, this oil plays a special role in traditional Chinese and ancient Indian medicine. In the old days, in Eastern countries, this oil was considered feminine, because it had the ability to restore the natural hormonal balance of the female body, thereby regulating the menstrual cycle, relieving women from menstrual pain, cramps, tension, and PMS symptoms. Often this oil was used to get rid of frigidity and to stimulate the sexual desire of women.

    Indoor hyacinth is useful to grow for people prone to unexpected mood swings and depressive states. White hyacinths contribute to an increase in emotional tone, give a state of lightness and inspiration. Hyacinths of dark purple, pink and burgundy colors help fight laziness and apathy. However, it is better not to put hyacinths in a room with a sick person, as their strong smell excites the nervous system.

    Historical reference

    The hyacinth flower is named after the character of ancient Greek myths. Hyacinth - a young man of extraordinary beauty, was the lover of Apollo. When Apollo taught him to throw a discus, the god of the wind (in different versions of the myth, Zephyr or Boreas), who was also in love with him, out of jealousy directed the discus thrown by Apollo at Hyacinth's head. The young man died, and then Apollo created a flower of extraordinary beauty from his blood.

    The word "hyacinth" appeared in Russian at the beginning of the 18th century, it came from the German language. The Germans took this word from the Romans, where the flower was called hyacinthus - "saber" for the shape of the leaves, reminiscent of this military weapon.

    In India, the word hyacinth means "flower of the rains", as it bloomed just in this season. Until now, Indian beauties adorn festive hairstyles with multi-colored fragrant hyacinth arrows. According to Indian tradition, this fragrant flower is also necessarily woven into the groom's wreath, and only white.

    In the countries of the East, the word hyacinth means "curls of the houris." The great Uzbek poet of the 15th century Alisher Navoi wrote:

    “The plexus of black curls will only scatter the scallop,

    And a stream of hyacinths will fall on the roses of the cheeks.

    In Western Europe, more precisely, in Vienna, hyacinth came only in the second half of the 17th century. Here it was cultivated by a limited circle of inveterate flower lovers. It became public property only after it got to Harlem, quite by accident, on a Genoese ship broken by a storm off the coast of Holland. From cargo boxes floating along the shore, fallen hyacinth bulbs were washed ashore, rooted, sprouted and bloomed. Lovers of flowers - the Dutch immediately drew attention to them and, amazed by their extraordinary beauty and wonderful smell, began to cultivate them, cross them and thus obtained a huge variety of varieties that delight us to this day.

    More than two centuries have passed since then, but the hyacinth is still a favorite flower in Holland. And at present, outstanding horticultural firms arrange annual, so-called "front fields" - gardens of flowering hyacinths, located in rooms covered with an awning. A huge number of people come there to admire these wonderful flowers.

    Thanks to such exhibitions, the number of new varieties is increasing every year. Of the once 40 varieties, their number now reaches about 2000. And a year does not pass without adding a few more new ones.

    There is also a myth about the reproduction of hyacinth. Once, the famous gardener Boucher tried to rapidly propagate hyacinth, but he did not succeed. But one day an ordinary mouse got to the hyacinth bulb and gnawed the bottom out of it. On this bulb, which accidentally lay before planting, babies appeared. Since then, to get babies, they began to cut the bottom of the bulb, or cut the planting material crosswise.

    Hyacinth was brought to Russia from Holland in 1730 and received well-deserved recognition mainly as a flower for Christmas, New Year and Easter.

    Literature

    1. Beketov A. N. Hyacinth, plants // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.

    2. Petrenko N.A. Early spring small bulbous plants in the backyard garden. Printing house VIR, 1996.

    3. Ryzhenkova Yu.I. Hyacinths. SME Publishing House, 2005.

    1. Shank L. Flowers. Bulbous and bulbous plants. Publishing house Sir - Wit, 1997.