Hyacinth

For other uses, see Hyacinth (disambiguation).
"Hyacinthus" redirects here. For other uses, see Hyacinthus (disambiguation).

Hyacinth
Cultivar of Hyacinthus orientalis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Scilloideae
Genus: Hyacinthus
Tourn. ex L.
Type species
Hyacinthus orientalis
Species

See text.

Hyacinthus /ˌhaɪəˈsɪnθəs/[1] is a small genus of bulbous herbs, spring-blooming perennials.[2][3] They are fragrant flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae[4] and are commonly called hyacinths (/ˈhaɪəsɪnθs/). The genus is native predominantly to the Eastern Mediterranean region from the south of Turkey to the Palestine region, although naturalized more widely.[5]

The name comes from Greek mythology: Hyacinth was killed by Zephyrus, the god of the west wind, jealous of his love for Apollo, who then transformed the drops of blood into flowers.

Several species of Brodiaea, Scilla, and other plants that were formerly classified in the Liliaceae family and have flower clusters borne along the stalk also have common names with the word "hyacinth" in them. Hyacinths should also not be confused with the genus Muscari, which are commonly known as grape hyacinths.

  1. ^ "Hyacinthus". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster.
  2. ^ "Are Hyacinths Perennials?".
  3. ^ "Are Hyacinths Perennials?".
  4. ^ Stevens, P.F. "Angiosperm Phylogeny Website: Asparagales: Scilloideae". Mobot.org. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  5. ^ "Hyacinthus Tourn. ex L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2023-11-11.