Bluish-Purple Flower Is A Spring Surprise
April 6th, 2009 | By: Jamie Jamison Adams
Grape Hyacinth on Left
Ask the Expert: What is this flower?
Hello. I took this piece of flower (pictured on left of photo) from a friend's house and have no idea what it is or how to care for it. It has slender leaves about 6" long and bluish-purple flowers about 2" long. Please help! Thanks. Brianne
Reply:
The lovely blue/purple flower is a Muscari also known as Grape Hyacinth. This lovely bulb is planted the season before it blooms usually in the fall. I usually plant these in September or October in full sun where my soil is moist and fertile. They can tolerate partial shade and are great for natualizing an area. Grape hyacinth bloom in the spring. However, in some areas they will bloom in the fall. I add bulb food the the soil when I plant them. Every year in February, I add a little bone meal and blood meal to the area. After they bloom, I remove the dead bloom stalks but leave the foliage. When the foliage dries and turns brown I cut it off. Basically that is all the care they need.
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April 6th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Thanks so much for identifying this flower or me and for the very helpful information on caring for it.
Brianne
April 8th, 2009 at 10:05 am
I always plant flowers in my yard during the spring time, adn I always try to plant different ones every year, so I have a variety of them always. The blue/purplish ones are always so beautifu.