Hyacinth

Lore & Background

It is derived from a Greek name used for a plant by Homer, ὑάκινθος (hyákinthos), the flowers supposedly having grown from the blood of a youth killed by the god Zephyr out of jealousy. The original wild plant known as hyakinthos to Homer has been identified with Scilla bifolia, among other possibilities. Linnaeus defined the genus Hyacinthus widely to include species now placed in other genera of the subfamily Scilloideae, such as Muscari and Hyacinthoides. Hyacinthus was formerly the type genus of the separate family Hyacinthaceae; prior to that, it was placed in the lily family Liliaceae. Three species are placed within the genus: Hyacinthus litwinovii (north-east Iran to southern Turkmenistan), Hyacinthus orientalis (Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Turkey; common, Dutch or garden hyacinth), and Hyacinthus transcaspicus (north-east Iran to southern Turkmenistan). Some authorities place H. litwonovii and H. transcaspicus in the related genus Hyacinthella, which would make Hyacinthus a monotypic genus. The Dutch, or common hyacinth (H. orientalis) was so popular in the 18th century that over 2,000 cultivars were grown in the Netherlands, its chief commercial producer.

Reader's Guide

The genus Hyacinthus holds significance as a culturally and historically important ornamental plant. Its association with spring and rebirth is reflected in its use in the Haft-Seen table setting for the Persian New Year celebration, Nowruz, held at the spring equinox. In Greek antiquity, the name ὑάκινθος referred to at least two distinct plants, which were sacred to Aphrodite. The hyacinth appears in T. S. Eliot's The Waste Land and in a song by American rock band The Doors. In Roman Catholic tradition, H. orientalis represents prudence, constancy, desire of heaven, and peace of mind. The genus also has taxonomic complexity: Linnaeus originally included species now placed in other genera, and some authorities suggest the genus may be monotypic. The bulbs are inedible due to oxalic acid content, though some members of the subfamily Scilloideae commonly called hyacinths are edible. The colour of the blue flower hyacinth plant varies between mid-blue, violet blue, and bluish purple, with the American color name Persenche (73% ultramarine, 9% red, 18% white) used for a hyacinth hue.

Did You Know?

• The Dutch, or common hyacinth (H. orientalis) was so popular in the 18th century that over 2,000 cultivars were grown in the Netherlands.
• The inedible bulbs contain oxalic acid and may cause mild skin irritation; protective gloves are recommended when handling.
• The hyacinth flower is used in the Haft-Seen table setting for the Persian New Year celebration, Nowruz.