Muscari armeniacum Christmas Pearl

Muscari armeniacum 'Christmas Pearl' is a hybrid variety that will delight all impatient enthusiasts of these charming little bulbs, as it blooms in the heart of winter. The leaves begin to grow in autumn and the flowering starts in November and continues throughout winter, producing its usual small blue spikes with white edges on the florets. It needs a cold autumn to start its flowering. This variety has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Derived from Muscari armeniacum, 'Christmas Pearl' is a hybrid belonging to the asparagus family. This small bulb produces a basal rosette of long, very narrow, gutter-shaped, medium-green leaves. Each rosette produces 3 to 5 flower stalks on a mature and well-developed bulb. The 15 to 20 cm tall flower stalks, bear 20 to 40 small urn-shaped flowers, initially of an intense dark blue, perfectly uniform, tightly packed in a compact cluster 10 cm tall. The white ring that encircles the "neck" of each small flower appears late. The fertile flowers located towards the top of the cluster are a slightly lighter blue. After pollination by insects, triangular fruits form, containing numerous round, black seeds that germinate very easily.

Muscari is a small, undemanding plant, but one that should not be overlooked because its range of soft or vibrant colours is delightful. 'Christmas Pearl' belongs to the vibrant flowering side, with its intense blue. Its great resistance to cold, drought, and shade allows it to be used in many situations: in woodland, at the base of trees, as a border to highlight the design of a pathway, in a rockery with heathers for example, or in Japanese-style gardens. It also grows very well in pots, where you can enjoy its winter flowers near the house, on a windowsill, at a time when the garden is less used. It is so accommodating that it will forgive watering neglect and thrive in neglected or weekend gardens. You can also, place muscari en masse in a lawn. It multiplies rapidly in good, rich, well-draining soil.