Muscari armeniacum Dark Eyes - Grape Hyacinth

Muscari armeniacum Dark Eyes is a hybrid variety of uncertain origin, distinguished by its small urn-shaped flowers which are deep cobalt blue at the beginning of flowering, with a white ring at the tip when mature. The nectar-rich, slightly fragrant inflorescence appears in the form of a dense and conical cluster emerging from a tuft of grassy foliage in March. This small bulbous plant rests in summer, unaffected by heat. An ideal choice for creating beautiful blue waves sprinkled with white among spring bulbs with yellow flowers.

Probably derived, among others, from Muscari armeniacum, 'Dark Eyes' is a spontaneous hybrid found in the wild in 1969, in a region north of the Caucasus. It belongs to the asparagus family. This small bulbous plant produces a basal rosette of long, very narrow, light and vibrant green leaves. Each rosette produces 3 to 5 flowering stems on a mature and well-developed bulb. The flowering stems are 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8in) tall and bear 20 to 40 small urn-shaped flowers, initially a perfectly uniform deep cobalt blue, tightly packed in a compact cluster 10 cm (4in) tall. The white ring encircling the "neck" of each small flower appears late, before fading to a pinkish tone. The fertile flowers located higher up in the cluster are a slightly lighter blue. After pollination, fruits form containing numerous round and black seeds that germinate very easily.

Muscari is an unassuming but versatile and very useful plant in a garden, or for decorating houses without gardens. Its great resistance to cold, drought, and shade allows it to be used in many situations: in the undergrowth, at the base of trees, as a border to emphasize the design of a pathway, in a rockery with heathers for example, or in Japanese style gardens. It also grows very well in pots, on a window or balcony. It is so accommodating that it will forgive you if you forget to water it and thrive in neglected gardens or weekend gardens. Its blue flowers are very beautiful alongside the yellow trumpets of daffodils, forget-me-nots, fragrant clusters of early blue hyacinths (Blue Pearl, Delft Blue), or the pink and red cups of triumph tulips.