The hyacinth is one of the most fragrant flowers of spring — a bulb that sends up dense, waxy spikes packed with star-shaped blooms in blue, purple, pink, white, and more. Its perfume can fill a whole room.

Hyacinth at a glance

• Botanical name: Hyacinthus orientalis
• Family: Asparagaceae
• Bloom season: early to mid-spring
• Symbolism: playfulness, sincerity, and rebirth

About the hyacinth

Hyacinths grow from bulbs and are prized for their intense scent and neat, columnar flower spikes. They’re popular both in spring gardens and forced indoors in winter for early color. In Greek myth, the flower sprang from the blood of a youth named Hyacinthus, loved by the god Apollo.

Hyacinth meaning and symbolism

The hyacinth symbolizes playfulness, sincerity, and rebirth, with meanings that vary by color — blue for sincerity, purple for sorrow or forgiveness, and white for loveliness.

Types of hyacinth

Popular varieties worth knowing:

• Blue and purple — the classic, most fragrant shades
• Pink and white — soft, elegant color forms
• Multiflora — looser, multi-stemmed sprays
• Grape hyacinth (Muscari) — a related, smaller blue bulb

How to grow and care for hyacinth

A few essentials keep this flower thriving:

• Plant bulbs in autumn in full sun and well-drained soil
• Force indoors by chilling bulbs, then bringing them into warmth
• Let foliage die back after flowering
• Blooms may loosen in later years as bulbs age
• Note: hyacinth bulbs can irritate skin, so handle with gloves

Hyacinth FAQs

When do hyacinths bloom?

Hyacinths bloom in early to mid-spring in the garden, and can be forced to flower indoors in winter for early color and fragrance.

Are hyacinths poisonous?

Yes. Hyacinth bulbs are toxic if eaten and can irritate skin on contact, so wear gloves when handling them and keep them away from pets.

Do hyacinths come back every year?

Yes, though garden hyacinths tend to produce fuller spikes in their first year or two and looser flowers as the bulbs age.

Explore more

Browse more flower profiles, learn about flower meanings, or find your birth flower.