100 Species #33: Grape hyacinth

[urbpan]

These things are all over the yard. I totally stole this picture of grape hyacinth (Muscari sp.) from Alexis. Here's her version.

Grape hyacinth is a flower that typically grows from a cultivated bulb, but can reproduce vegetatively, spreading from one planting across your yard. Most people are okay with this Old World native increasing in size and scope on their property, since it adds a very attractive bit of color to the early spring, and seems to stay in flower a long while. Honeybees braving the cold early spring may come to pollinate the plant. The species most in use in American gardens is Muscari armeniacum, which is a forest wildflower across the countries of the eastern Mediterranean and the Caucasus, including Armenia.

Comments

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

seems to infest some yards, and is creeping into the forest near me, but that's okay in my book. seems to be pretty mellow about its foothold. also pretty.

also reminds me of piersis japonica, which smells fantastic. lovely bush that. doesn't seem to be invasive either.

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[dragonwrites.livejournal.com]

sweet! i just took a bunch of pictures of this (or a very similar hyacinth) in my brother's yard in arlington.

[iheartoothecae.livejournal.com]

I have one random grape hyacinth in my front yard. I thought it was a bluebonnet until I took a closer look at it. No idea where it came from -- it's totally isolated and there aren't any other in my neighborhood that I've seen.

[iheartoothecae.livejournal.com]

Also you might want to pay close attention to that Rockus balanceus in the background. I hear those can be invasive too. I saw several when I was hiking out west of San Antonio a month back -- that's quite a range!

[colinftm.livejournal.com]

I have lots currently inhabiting around the area near our side door in Ohio sharing space with two rosebushes and long grass, also some tiny tiny daffodils. I pick them for my girlfriend!