Hyacinth

Hyacinth, common name for any of a genus of plants of the lily family (see Lily), cultivated as garden plants or houseplants in temperate and tropical climates all over the world. Hyacinths are bulbous plants with long, sword-shaped leaves. The flowers, which are on long spikes, have three petal-like sepals, three petals, six stamens, and a three-celled pistil. The fruit is a capsule.

The cultivated hyacinth, commonly called the Dutch hyacinth, grows to 38 cm (15 in). It is native to Greece and Asia Minor, but horticultural varieties have been so extensively modified by breeders that they bear little resemblance to the wild original. All cultivated hyacinth varieties are fragrant. The color of the flowers ranges from white through yellow, red, blue, and purple. Single-flowered Dutch hyacinths have dense, erect spikes; double-flowered forms have loose, drooping spikes. The popular Roman hyacinths produce several loosely flowered, graceful spikes from each bulb. Hyacinths are always grown from bulbs. Most bulbs of Dutch hyacinths are produced in the Netherlands, bulbs of Roman hyacinths, in Italy and southern France. Roman hyacinths can be grown only indoors except in mild climates. Both varieties flower in early spring. Two other species sometimes grown are both about 13 cm (about 5 in) tall.

Scientific classification: Hyacinths belong to the family Liliaceae. The Dutch hyacinth is classified as Hyacinthus orientalis and the Roman hyacinth as Hyacinthus orientalis variety albulus. The two other species sometimes grown that reach about 13 cm (about 5 in) are classified as Brimeura amethystina and Bellevalia ciliata.