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How to Grow Hyacinths: The Complete Hyacinth Flower Guide

Photo Credit
Marcin Jucha/Shutterstock
Botanical Name
Hyacinthus (True Hyacinths); Muscari (Grape Hyacinths)
Plant Type
Flower
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Part Sun
Bloom Time
Spring
Flower Color
Blue
Orange
Pink
Purple
Red
White
Yellow
Hardiness Zone
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

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Planting, Growing, and Caring for Hyacinths

Catherine Boeckmann

Ahhh! The scent of hyacinth is intoxicating in springtime! And who can resist the tiny blue Muscari? Learn more about planting these spring-flowering bulbs as well as caring for the pretty pastel flowers after they bloom.

About Hyacinths and Grape Hyacinths

  • Hyacinths (Hyacinthus): Originally a pale blue or violet flower, hyacinths now come in a rainbow of colors, including lilacs, pinks, white, cobalt blue, cream, apricot, and even a blood-red hue. Each hyacinth bulb generally produces one flower stalk that stands 8 to 10 inches tall. The hyacinth鈥檚 loose-to-dense racemes (clusters) of strongly fragrant flowers may be closely packed single or double flowers.
Close-up of Hyacinth flowers in full bloom. Credit: Elena Tratsevskaya
  • Grape hyacinths (Muscari) are not directly related to true hyacinths, but also bloom in mid-spring and have the same care requirements. This tiny wonder has small clusters of bell-shaped, cobalt-blue flowers.
Blue muscari. Credit: Shebeko

Note: This page will refer to both Hyacinthus and Muscari plants as 鈥渉yacinths鈥 for simplicity鈥檚 sake!

As hyacinths are one of the first blooms, they look best at the front of a perennial garden, near the front door, along a walkway, or in mixed borders. These beauties are also a great choice for pots and planters. Hyacinths make wonderful cutting flowers, too, and look stunning in bouquets. As the flowers are famous for their fragrance, you can bring the sweet scent of spring inside!

The Victorians revered hyacinths for their sweet, lingering fragrance, and carefully massed them in low beds, planting them in rows of one color each. In general, hyacinths are said to symbolize playfulness, sport, and rashness, though their meanings are color-dependent. Learn more about the meanings of flowers.

Please note: Most hyacinths grow in zones 3 to 9. They must have cold temperatures of 40掳 to 45掳F (4掳 to 7掳C) for at least 12 to 14 weeks. If temperatures in your area do not get this cold, you鈥檒l need to pre-chill the bulbs in a refrigerator before planting them outdoors. 

Warning: Hyacinth bulbs (and daffodil bulbs) contain a substance called oxalic acid, which can be irritating to bare skin. Use gloves when handling these bulbs for extended periods.

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Planting

Choose a planting site that gets full sun for the largest blooms and straightest stems. The bulbs are tolerant of partial shade as well.

Grow in loosened, moderately fertile soil that drains well. Avoid planting low areas where water collects; hyacinths will rot in wet soil! Before planting, loosen the soil and work in 2 to 4 inches of compost or bonemeal for fertility.

When to Plant Hyacinths

  • Like other spring-blooming bulbs, plant hyacinth bulbs in mid-to-late autumn, any time after your first fall frost and before the ground freezes.

How to Plant Hyacinths

  • Plant hyacinth bulbs 4 to 5 inches deep. Space bulbs 5 to 6 inches apart (grape hyacinths can be 2 inches apart). At the northern limits of their hardiness (USDA Zone 3), plant 1 to 2 inches deeper to ensure winter hardiness.
  • Dig out a larger area if you wish to plant five or more bulbs simultaneously. Hyacinths look beautiful in groupings of five to nine bulbs. Grape hyacinths also look best in masses and loose drifts.
  • Set the bulb in the hole with the pointy end up.
  • After planting and covering with soil, water thoroughly.
  • Apply a 1-to-2-inch layer of mulch around the plants to discourage weeds and disease.
  • If you are transplanting, water sparingly and then do not water again until flower buds appear the following year.

Forcing Hyacinth Bulbs Indoors

  • Hyacinth bulbs may be forced into early growth for indoor display in the winter. Plant them with the tips just showing, in soil-based potting mix in containers with drainage holes.
  • Keep in a dark place at temperatures above freezing but no higher than 45掳F (7掳C), for at least ten weeks to allow roots to develop.
  • When shoots are about 1 inch long, increase light and temperature gradually.
  • Water carefully, avoiding wetting the shoots or waterlogging the soil. Soil should be moist, not wet.
  • After flowering, forced hyacinths may be transplanted into the garden, and they will flower again in subsequent years.

Growing

Caring for Hyacinths

  • Do NOT overwater hyacinth. They do not like standing water or having 鈥渨et feet.鈥 Water ONLY if the soil is dry at a depth of 3 inches. If it is dry at that depth, it is time to water.  
  • Water deeply at the soil level, not from overhead or with a sprinkler which encourages disease. Lay the hose end next to the plant, turn the hose on low, and water for about 30 minutes or until the soil is moist. A soaker hose turned on low for a few hours will cover a larger area effectively.
  • With the organic matter and mulch, you do not need to fertilize. However, it’s OK to sprinkle a commercial organic fertilizer over the soil. 
  • Protect container-grown plants from excessive winter moisture by covering them or moving them to a sheltered area.

Types

  • Hyacinth orientalis 鈥Blue Jacket鈥: One of the great blues of the flower world. These award-winning hyacinths display big columns of royal blue florets with crisp white edges. 
  • H. orientalis 鈥楥ity of Haarlem鈥: A wonderful heirloom variety that’s been popular since the late 1800s. The flowers are soft, primrose yellow, maturing to creamy white.
  • H. orientalis 鈥楪ypsy Queen鈥: 鈥楪ypsy Queen鈥 is an heirloom hyacinth with salmon pink petals with peach and buttery-yellow highlights.
  • H. orientalis 鈥楯an Bos’: Intensely fragrant, this award-winning hyacinth has fuschia-pink florets that are tightly packed into large flowerheads.
  • H. orientalis 鈥Miss Saigon鈥: With a deep, rich purple color, this fragrant hyacinth is covered with starry, violet florets. Gorgeous!
  • H. orientalis 鈥楶ink Pearl鈥: Rose-pink flower heads turn heads with their cotton-candy sweetness; 鈥楶ink Pearl鈥 is a favorite for spring containers to add a pop of color.
  • Muscari armeniacum: This grape hyacinth has small and delicate cobalt-blue flowers that look gorgeous when planted en masse.

Harvesting

What to Do With Hyacinths After Flowering

Outdoors

  • After your hyacinths have finished flowering, remove the blooms, but don’t remove the foliage. The bulbs need their leaves to gather energy for next year’s blooms. The foliage will die back naturally at the end of the spring season. Remove when the leaves have turned brown to help prevent fungal diseases.
  • Hyacinth bulbs can remain in the ground throughout the year in most planting zones. If you live a warm climate where temperatures do not get below 60掳F, bulbs should be dug up in the fall and refrigerated in a cool, dry area for 6 to 8 weeks. Hyacinths require a period of colder weather to bloom. 

Indoors

  • Hyacinth bulbs that have finished flowering indoors can be transplanted into the garden. After flowering, they need time to gather energy for next year’s blooms, so they should not be placed directly into storage. 
  • After their foliage dies back outdoors, hyacinth bulbs can be brought indoors and stored in a cool, dark, dry place until the fall or winter. 
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Wit and Wisdom

Are Hyacinth Bulbs Poisonous to Cats and Dogs?

Yes, hyacinth bulbs are poisonous to pets. Many spring flowers, such as hyacinths and daffodils, contain a compound that may cause stomach and respiratory issues and skin irritation. This substance鈥攃alcium oxalate鈥攊s most concentrated in the bulbs, but is also found in the foliage and flowers of the hyacinth plant. Keep hyacinths out of reach of curious pets and children, and wear gloves when handling hyacinth bulbs for long periods of time.

The one upside to the hyacinth’s toxicity is that common garden pests, such as squirrels and groundhogs, often aren’t as tempted to eat your hyacinth bulbs!

Will Hyacinths Bloom Again?

Yes and no. Hyacinths bloom just once yearly (in the spring), but they will happily bloom again in subsequent years if provided with the proper care. They are a perennial plant.

Pests/Diseases

  •  Bulbs are prone to gray mold and bulb rot when kept too wet.
Flowers
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it鈥檚 not surprising that she and The Old Farmer鈥檚 蜜桃恋人 found each other. She leads digital content for the 蜜桃恋人 website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
 

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Comments

Leave it in the pot, Richard. Give it balanced (not strong light) keep the water to the lower middle of the bulb until after it blooms (add no more water then), and let the foliage fade away. There is no guarantee that it will bloom again, but you can cut off the dead foliage and plant the bulb about 6 inches deep and see what, if anything, happens next spring. If you do not live in an area that experiences winter, nothing will happen; hyacinths need a cold spell to bloom. So it鈥檚 best to enjoy it now鈥nd buy a new plant when it passes.

Thimy (not verified)

4 years 9 months ago

Growing Hyacinth in Southern California zone 10:
Bulbs from local stores Home Depot and Lowe鈥檚.
Chilling Hyacinth bulbs in mid September (for 2 months)
Planting in mid November, in the containers, in shade with indirect sunlight
Watering gently for 2 months. When the shoots grow few inches tall, bring the containers to the direct sunlight place.
Blooming now in late January.
Whenever you ask or share the information, please write the hardiness zone where you are, so other people can learn and apply. Happy gardening to 蜜桃恋人 and guests!

Thimy (not verified)

4 years 11 months ago

Hi The Editors, I live in San Diego Zone 10. My Tulip, Hyacinth, Daffodil bulbs have been chilled from September 15, some are chilled from Oct and November, until now in refrigerator. I haven鈥檛 planted them yet because the grower websites recommend that they need to be chilled at least 15 weeks. Please let me know when I can plant them. Can I plant them now or I need to wait until Jan 2020? Thank you so much for your advise. I love your website very much, it鈥檚 so helpful and beautiful.

Trish (not verified)

5 years 6 months ago

I bought a bulb in a see through vase with long roots. It has already bloomed. It has long tall leaves. Can I plant it in a pot and not in the ground? I live in California.

brenda baker (not verified)

5 years 7 months ago

what is to be expected if I plant the bulbs in the spring with or without the potted one I purchased to be planted soon

Dominic Pengjad (not verified)

5 years 8 months ago

I planted 14 bulbs outdoor in late fall zone 6A and now beginning of March they all started shooting up 1-2 inches through mulch. There will be some freezing days ahead so my concern is that will they die?

If you have several inches of mulch, then the bulbs themselves should be fine. To protect the leaves and buds that have emerged, then you may want to provide frost protection the afternoon before a frost is predicted overnight. You can use row covers, sheets, etc., ideally propped up on stakes (or hoops) so as not to touch (and possibly damage) the plants—be sure that all edges of the fabric are tucked into the soil, to prevent cold air from seeping in under the fabric. Another alternative is to cover each bulb individually with something like a plastic jug or inverted flower pot. Remove the fabric or other protection in the morning just after temperatures rise above freezing. Watering the soil before covering the plants can also help.

I'm in zone 8b, elevation 4,500 feet in the high desert of southern CA. Since I planted my hyacinths 3 years ago, they always seem to sprout and bloom by February. I have covered them with milk jugs when it's going to freeze over night. This became a pain last year because the plants got too tall for the jugs. They're between roses, so row covers aren't practical. A friend of mine lives at a higher elevation where she gets a lot more snow than I do. She said she doesn't cover her hyacinth plants and they're fine. I'm not sure if I should chance leaving them "naked". Any thoughts?
PS: I added 24 more bulbs this fall and don't want them to get frozen!

UPDATE: It's 3/8/24. I took a chance on my friend's advice and left my blooming hyacinths "naked" this year. She was right. All 32 bulbs are blooming and not freezing! Some of the original bulbs are even growing secondary flowers stalks. Happy happy!!

I am 6b and mine have bloomed early and are absolutely beautiful but today I looked and some of the flowers are slimy and turning black or green maybe what can I do to fix this. I believe they are fully bloomed could I cut them or the ones that are still good. Could there be something wrong with them?