Hyacinthus x orientalis Purple Sensation

The Hyacinth or Hyacinthus orientalis Purple Sensation is a very hardy variety that offers clusters of simple and fragrant flowers with a deep purple-violet colour, which is unusual for hybrid hyacinths with their infinite shades. Dark purple, straw yellow, or ultramarine blue allow for variety. A bulb ready to bloom, planted in a pot or directly in water, will perfume a room for hours on end.

If the Orient Hyacinth is almost no longer cultivated, this graceful species with its small spikes of blue flowers, native to the Middle East and Mediterranean regions, has given rise to countless cultivars called Dutch Hyacinths, highly appreciated in gardens for their delicately fragrant spring flowering or in floristry for their forcing ability. This botanical species is naturalized in France in the Bouches-du-Rhône, Var, Alpes-Maritimes, and Lot-et-Garonne.

The Purple Sensation hyacinth, like it, belongs to the family of hyacinthaceae, or asparagaceae. It has a large oval bulb and forms from spring onwards a clump of bright green ribbon-like leaves, from which emerges, in March-April, a robust floral stem, 20 cm (8in) long, bearing 30 to 40 star-shaped flowers, 2 to 4cm (1 to 2in) long, tightly packed together, with a thick and waxy texture, purple-violet in colour, and fragrant. The flowering is nectar-rich, attracting butterflies. It is accompanied by deciduous foliage, disappearing in summer and reappearing in late winter. It consists of bright green leaves, 15 to 35 cm (6 to 14in) long, ensate in shape (flat, narrow, long, upright, and pointed). The hyacinth reaches a height of 25-30 cm (10-12in) at maturity.

Among early blooms, the hyacinth is one of the few bulbs with large flowers. The Purple Sensation Hyacinth, well suited to our cold winters, can be grown in border beds as well as in pots or vases. In the ground, it will renew itself for several years. In a pot, it will only last for one season. Reserve a prime spot for it in the garden, not far from the entrance of the house, to enjoy its fragrance with every passing. It will bring spectacular splashes of colour to your flower beds. Hyacinths can easily be paired with other early bulbs such as Chionodoxas, Ipheions, Zephyranthes, hybrid crocuses, or early-flowering Tulips. Their flowers are edible, raw or cooked, and reveal a slightly mucilaginous texture. Depending on your preferences, you can crystallize them with sugar or incorporate them into fruit salads. In the past, they were considered a delicacy that could be found under the name of "candied Constantinople hyacinths."