Heirloom Hyacinth Bulbs

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MENELIK, 1911 Web-Only & Rarest

Black is beautiful, and this astonishing hyacinth – named in honor of the Victorian king of Ethiopia – is an intense indigo-purple shading to absolute BLACK. Though it went commercially extinct in Holland in 2001, every now and then we get a handful of bulbs from Alan Shipp of the UK National Collection. 10-12”, zones 5-7S/9WC, from England. Chart to compare.

HY27 Add to basket: 1/$10.50 3/$28.50 5/$45 10/$84 Limit 10, please.

MULBERRY ROSE, 1946 Web-Only & Rarest

The unusual, old-fashioned color of this rare hyacinth sets it apart. It’s a misty puplish-rose, deeper in the center of the petals, paler at the edges, like raspberry ice cream swirled with raspberry sorbet. 8-10”, zones 5-8aS/10WC, from the UK National Collection of Hyacinths. Chart to compare.

HY34 Add to basket: 3/$9.50 5/$15 10/$28 25/$64 50/$119

PERLE BRILLIANTE, 1895 Rarest

A shimmering, silvery blue-purple like antique pewter – or pearls – this Victorian relic was our Heirloom Bulb of the Year in 2000, which, sadly, was the last year it was harvested in the Netherlands. To preserve it, we sent a boxful of those final bulbs to Alan Shipp, holder of the UK National Collection, and now you can enjoy the happy fruits of our partnership! 10-12”, zones 5-7S/9WC, from England. Chart to compare. Last offered web-only in 2012. Although we hope to offer this rarity again in 2013, availability can’t be confirmed until June. Please check back then or subscribe to our email newsletter.

QUEEN OF THE BLUES, 1870 Rarest

Although this soft, silvery blue charmer went “commercially extinct” in 2009, our friend Alan Shipp of the UK National Collection has been nurturing a small supply of it for us ever since. You’ll be glad you helped Alan save it! 10-12”, zones 5-7S/9WC, from England. Chart to compare.

HY29 Add to basket: 1/$5.50 3/$15 5/$23.50 10/$44 Limit 10, please.

ROMAN BLUE, 1562

One of our most sought-after bulbs, this graceful, cinnamon-scented wildflower multiplies happily year after year. It’s been passed along since colonial days, and though counterfeits are rife, ours from the Hortus Bulborum are 100% true. Slightly less cold-hardy than regular hyacinths: zones 6-8aS/10WC, 8-10”. Chart to compare.

HY31 Add to basket: 1/$9.50 3/$26 5/$41 10/$76 25/$171

ROMAN PINK, 1573 Web-Only & Rarest

Cinnamon-scented and multiplying eagerly year after year, this pale pink cousin of our ‘Roman Blue’, is equally wonderful. Like all Romans it’s a little less cold-hardy than other hyacinths, but its wildflowery grace and rich fragrance can’t be beat. And did we mention it multiplies? 8-10”, zones 6-8aS/10WC, from the Hortus Bulborum. Chart to compare.

HY37 Add to basket: 1/$9.50 3/$26 5/$41 10/$76 25/$171

VUURBAAK, 1948 Rarest

Favorites of the Victorians, “red” hyacinths are actually an intense, impossibly deep rose, the Tyrian purple of ancient times. ‘Jan Bos’ is the standard today, but this radiant ‘Fire Beacon’ is much rarer, and thrilling. 10-12”, zones 5-8aS/10WC, from Holland. Chart to compare.

HY35 Add to basket: 3/$9 5/$14.50 10/$27 25/$61 50/$113

HISTORY – Hyacinths came to Europe from Turkey in the mid-1500s, and by 1730 some 2000 varieties were reported. From about 1780-1880 they were more popular than tulips. First grown as mixed collections of choice specimens, they later starred in the 1800s rage for forcing and were planted en masse in Victorian pattern-beds.

For the whole fascinating story, from their wild beginnings to the Ottoman Empire, Mme. de Pompadour, and beyond, see our Hyacinth History page.

HYACINTH ARCHIVES – For customer tips and raves, the stories behind the bulbs, links and books, history, news, and more, see our Hyacinth Newsletter Archives.

HYACINTHS AS CUT FLOWERS – Hyacinths are fabulous in bouquets. For tips on making them last, see our Bulbs as Cut Flowers page.

EASY FORCING – Forcing hyacinths into winter bloom became a great rage in the 1800s, and it’s a pleasure you can easily enjoy today. For simple instructions, see our Forcing Bulbs page.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS OUTDOORS – Hyacinths like rich, well-drained soil that’s dry in summer and full sun. Best in zones 5-7, they can succeed in zones 4 (well-mulched) and 8, too. Most grow 10-12 inches tall. We send 15-17 cm bulbs, the best size for gardens.

Some people are allergic to hyacinth bulbs, developing a localized itch, so you may want to handle them with gloves. Plant in mid-fall. If necessary, store till then in open bags in a cool, dry spot.

Hyacinths do best when DRY (but not hot) in summer. Choose a sunny site with well-drained soil, avoiding or improving clay or damp soil, or plant in raised beds. Plant bulbs with base 6-8 inches deep and 5-7 inches apart on center (or closer for a lush look). Scratch a tablespoon of bulb fertilizer into the surface soil (slow-release 10-10-10 is ideal). Water.

A light, airy winter mulch such as straw, oak leaves, or pine boughs is helpful in colder zones to minimize root damage from soil repeatedly freezing and thawing.

For best results, re-fertilize lightly spring and fall, and assure even moisture then. After bloom, strip off spent florets but allow foliage to yellow (to feed the bulbs for next year’s bloom) before removing. Close the hole left in the soil by the withering foliage to deter pests. And keep those bulbs dry!

Five-Second Staking – All hyacinths – even wild ones – topple eventually. Usually it’s no big deal, but if the weather is unseasonably warm it can be disappointingly premature. To counter this, take a thin green bamboo stake about 12 inches long and run it along right next to the stem from the top of the bloom-spike down into the soil a few inches (but not so deep that you hit the bulb). The florets will clasp the stake and you’re done!

To return to the beginning of Hyacinths, click here.

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