The genus
Muscari, commonly and collectively known as
grape hyacinths, are a group of
deciduousDeciduous means falling off at maturity or tending to fall off and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
plants native to
EurasiaEurasia is a large landmass covering about 52,990,000 km
2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface...
that produce urn-shaped spikes of dense, most commonly blue,
flowerA flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds...
s resembling bunches of
grapeA grape is the non-climacteric fruit, botanically a true berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, and grape seed oil...
s in the spring. White
cultivarA cultivar is a cultivated plant that has been selected and given a unique name because of desired characteristics; it is usually distinct from similar plants and when propagated it retains those characteristics....
s also exist.
Classified as being in the family
HyacinthaceaeHyacinthaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants. The plants are herbaceous perennials that grow from bulbs, and include several popular spring-blooming garden plants, including Hyacinth , grape hyacinth , bluebell and squill .As circumscribed by Pfosser & Speta the family...
, they have also been placed amongst the
LiliaceaeThe Liliaceae, or the lily family, is a family of monocotyledons in the order Liliales. Plants in this family have linear leaves, mostly with parallel veins but with several having net venation , and flower arranged in threes. Several have bulbs, while others have rhizomes...
as a member of the Hyacintheae tribe. There are about forty species.
The genus
Muscari, commonly and collectively known as
grape hyacinths, are a group of
deciduousDeciduous means falling off at maturity or tending to fall off and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
plants native to
EurasiaEurasia is a large landmass covering about 52,990,000 km
2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface...
that produce urn-shaped spikes of dense, most commonly blue,
flowerA flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds...
s resembling bunches of
grapeA grape is the non-climacteric fruit, botanically a true berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, and grape seed oil...
s in the spring. White
cultivarA cultivar is a cultivated plant that has been selected and given a unique name because of desired characteristics; it is usually distinct from similar plants and when propagated it retains those characteristics....
s also exist.
Taxonomy
Classified as being in the family
HyacinthaceaeHyacinthaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants. The plants are herbaceous perennials that grow from bulbs, and include several popular spring-blooming garden plants, including Hyacinth , grape hyacinth , bluebell and squill .As circumscribed by Pfosser & Speta the family...
, they have also been placed amongst the
LiliaceaeThe Liliaceae, or the lily family, is a family of monocotyledons in the order Liliales. Plants in this family have linear leaves, mostly with parallel veins but with several having net venation , and flower arranged in threes. Several have bulbs, while others have rhizomes...
as a member of the Hyacintheae tribe. There are about forty species. These are subdivided into subgenera e.g Botryanthus.
Some species are among the earliest to bloom in the spring. They are planted as
bulbA bulb is an underground vertical shoot that has modified leaves that are used as food storage organs by a dormant plant....
s and tend to multiply quickly (naturalise) when planted in good soils. They prefer well drained sandy soil, that is acid to neutral and not too rich. May be found in woodlands or meadows, they are commonly cultivated in lawns, borders, rock gardens and containers. They require little feeding or watering in the summer, and sun or light shade.
Muscari comosumMuscari comosum, or tassel hyacinth is a Grape Hyacinth, a herbaceous plant of the genus Muscari growing to 12 inches, with greenish spikes and purple tips. Cultivars include 'Plumosum' , and 'Monstrosum'...
bulbs are pickled and eaten in Greece under the name βολβοί ([vol'vi] lit. 'bulbs') and in the
BasilicataBasilicata is a region in the south of Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Apulia to the north and east, and Calabria to the south, having one short southwestern coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea between Campania in the northwest and Calabria in the southeast, and a longer one to the...
and Puglia region of Italy, under the names "lampascioni", "lampasciuni", "lamponi".
The Muscari have originated in the old world, from the Mediterranean basin, the Center and South of Europe, Northern Africa, the West, Center and South-West of Asia. The term muscari comes from the Latin
muscus, since the scent is said to resemble musk. Muscari are non-toxic but may cause diarrhea. (According to The Poison Control Hotline 1-800-222-1222)
Species
M. aucheri is available in a number of cultivars such as 'Blue Magic' and 'White Magic'
M. azureum (syn. Hyacinthus azureus, Hyacinthella azurea) is bright blue but there are light blue and white varieties.
M. latifolium has flowers varying from deep indigo at the base to pale violet at the tip.
M. tubergenianum varies from deep blue at the base to bright blue at the tip.
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