Hyacinthus x orientalis Splendid Cornélia

The Hyacinthus orientalis Splendid Cornelia is a very beautiful hybrid derived from the Oriental Hyacinth, displaying an unusual pastel colour, made up of a blend of lilac and mauve touched with blue. Its spikes are filled with small star-shaped flowers with a thick and waxy texture that nestle against each other to better express their sweet fragrance. Flowering in the middle of the hyacinth season, this bulbous plant can be cultivated both in the garden, in fertile and moist but well-drained soil, and in pots for winter flowering indoors. Outdoors, it blooms in the middle of the hyacinth season, in March-April.

While the Oriental Hyacinth is no longer widely cultivated, this species native to the Middle East and Mediterranean regions has given rise to countless cultivars highly appreciated in gardens for their delightful spring flowering or in floristry for their forcing ability. This botanical species can be found naturalized in France in Bouches-du-Rhône, Var, Alpes-Maritimes, and Lot-et-Garonne.

The Splendid Cornelia hyacinth, just like it, belongs to the hyacinthaceae or asparagaceae family. It has a large oval bulb and from spring onwards, forms a clump of bright green ribbon-like leaves, from which, in April-May, a robust floral stem, 20 cm (8in) long, emerges, bearing numerous star-shaped, diaphanous flowers with a thick and translucent substance, mauve lilac with a slightly darker midline, and a sweet fragrance. The foliage is deciduous in summer; it reappears in late winter.

The 'Splendid Cornelia' hyacinth will make beautiful flowerpots alongside white or pale pink varieties and small violet flowers like pansies, violets, and grape hyacinths that bloom at the same time. Among early flowering plants, the hyacinth is one of the few large-flowered bulbs. 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 flowerbeds. Hyacinths can easily be paired with other early bulbs such as Chionodoxas or early flowering Tulips. Their flowers are edible, raw or cooked, and have 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."