Hyacinthus orientalis Red Glory

Hyacinthus orientalis 'Red Glory' is a variety of hyacinth that stands out with its beautiful dark pink-red colour, close to magenta. Its beautiful flowering in solidly built, fragrant spikes can be seen from afar in the garden. It can be forced indoors for winter flowering to bring a beautiful touch of fragrance and colour to the house. It is an easy-to-grow bulb in fertile, well-drained soil, even dry in summer.

The Oriental Hyacinth, the natural species that has given rise to countless cultivars highly appreciated by gardeners, is no longer cultivated much. 

The 'Red Glory' hyacinth, just like it, now belongs to the Asparagaceae family. This variety was introduced to the horticultural market by Markglory (Netherlands) in 2013. It has a large rounded bulb and forms a clump of bright green ribbon-like leaves from spring, from which a robust, purplish flower stem emerges in March-April, measuring 20 cm in length. The stout floral spike measures about 13 cm in height. It is composed of 53 star-shaped flowers, with a thick, waxy substance, measuring 4.5 mm in diameter. Their colour is precisely described as follows: dark pink-red with a light blue-pink edge. Interior: dark pink-red, transitioning to light blue-pink towards the edges. violet flower stem with a green base. The foliage is deciduous in summer; it reappears in late winter.

Among early bloomers, the hyacinth is one of the few bulbs with large flowers. Reserve a prominent place for it in the garden, not far from the entrance of the house to enjoy its fragrance. It will create spots of colour in your flower beds at a time of year when the garden begins to awaken. Hyacinths can easily be paired with other early bulbs such as grape hyacinths or Greigii tulips. Their flowers are edible, raw or cooked, and have a slightly sticky texture. They can be candied or added to fruit salads. The 'Red Glory' hyacinth is particularly enhanced when paired with early white tulips like 'White Marvel'.