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Hyacinth
Hyacinthus orientalis

The Hyacinth is a spring-blooming bulb that is known for its intensely frangrant flowers. The best known plants are cultivars of common hyacinths (hyacinthus orientalis), also called Dutch hyacinths. These bulbs produce erect, cylindrical trusses of flowers in shades of white, pink, lilac, blue, violet, and yellow in the spring. The individual flowers are bell-shaped and have six petal-like tepals. Some people are allergic to the foilage and some pleople cannot tolerate the fragrance especially when brought into a home or office as a potted plant or cut in a vase arrangement.

Hyacinths are easy to grow and because of their odor, the squirrels aren't likely to dig them up like they do tulips. Select a site in full sun or partial shade with average to rich, well-drained soil. Like other spring-flowering bulbs, Hyacinths are best planted in the fall before the ground freezes. Dig a hole and plant the bulbs about 5 inches deep. If you live in an area that is very cold in the winter, you may want to plant them up to 8 inches deep. Also, in the North, cover the bulbs with some type of loose mulch to protect the shoots when they emerge in the spring. It is important to remove the mulch after the danger of a hard frost is gone.

Hyacinth bulbs will last for many seasons, but they are at their best the first year. You can propagate them by separating the offsets in the summer while the leaves are dying down.