Low Maintenance Muscari for Fall Bulb Planting

Muscari, commonly called grape hyacinth, is a spring flowering plant that grows from a small bulb. The bulbs are inexpensive, offering added value, because they multiply so quickly and can be planted in many types of flower gardens.

The Muscari flower is cone shaped; although some are white, pink or yellow, it is primarily a blue flower contrasting well with yellow daffodils in a garden. Also like daffodils, Muscari is easy to grow and reliably deer resistant in a planting bed.

There are grape hyacinth varieties hardy as far north as zone 4 and can be used to force flowering indoors, as well. Outside, Muscari will be one of the first to open planted in small rock gardens and under deciduous shrubs. When planted in mass they will easily naturalize in woody sites or, as often seen, in a pattern mimicking a winding river.

Grape hyacinth is an early bloomer in spring, even in northern gardens, and will attract bees and butterflies where it is already warm. The light scent makes them a good choice for cut flowers in spring.

How to Plant Muscari Bulbs

Muscari bulbs are easy to plant and grow, making them a low maintenance choice. Unlike tulips and daffodils, leaves on grape hyacinth will continue to grow into summer.

The bulbs should be planted in fall while there are cool temperatures up to when the ground freezes. The garden site should receive full to part sun and the soil is cool, moist and well draining. A Muscari bulb is planted 3″ – 5″ deep and 3″ – 4″ apart.

Grape hyacinth quickly multiply, another reason they are a good investment. Muscari requires digging and dividing every four to five years.

Types of Grape Hyacinth Flowers

Grape hyacinth has many species some related to the flower colors. Here is a brief list of Muscari species and descriptions:

• M. armeniacum has the familiar dark blue flowers.
• M. aucheri has blue colors; many with white edging or blue and white toned, for example, the cultivars ‘Mount Hood’ or ‘Dark Eyes.’
• M. botryoides album has white flowers.
• M. comosum has tasseled or feathered shaped flowers.
• M. latibolium is two toned blues and purples.

Muscari is the Turkish botanical name for grape hyacinth and is part of the lily family. Muscari is not to be confused with the Hyacinthus flowers that are in a different genus, have a strong fragrance and is often used in floral arrangements.

Muscari is so easy to grow and inexpensive that most gardeners cannot resist including these spring flowering bulbs in a garden bed. Now is the time to make a plan for fall bulb planting.