Muscari azureum

Muscari azureum: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Small bulbous plant about 15 cm tall and 5 cm wide, forming a blue cushion in a group.

Leaves

Narrow and strap-shaped, close to the ground; turn yellow in late spring.

Flower

Dense little clusters of open, bell-shaped flowers at the top of a short stem, from March to April.

Colour

Sky blue, with a darker stripe on each tooth of the flower.

Bulb

Small, oval bulb with a pale brown coat; forms bulblets every year.

Flowering: March–April · Plants: September–November

Why grow it?

• Sky-blue flowers in March–April, earlier than other grape hyacinths.
• Small and fine: suits a rock garden, a pot or the front of the border.
• One of the first nectar sources for bees and bumblebees in spring.
• Fully hardy (down to about −25 °C) and low maintenance.
• Naturalises slowly and returns year after year; lovely in a group.

Muscari azureum: where does it grow best?

• Full sun to partial shade; it flowers before trees and shrubs come into leaf, so beneath deciduous shrubs also works.
• Free-draining soil: sandy or loamy, lime is fine. Heavy, wet clay makes the bulb rot.
• Normal to dry: it likes a dry rest in summer.
• Plant the bulbs 5–8 cm apart, preferably in groups of 15–25 bulbs or more.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.15 m tall, 0.05 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Crocus: Flowers at the same time; yellow and purple next to the sky blue.
• Miniature daffodil: Yellow trumpets make a lovely contrast with the blue.
• Botanical tulip: Flowers a little later and complements the blue with red or yellow.
• Primrose: Soft colours at the front of the border go well with the blue bells.

Muscari azureum: when and how to plant it?

Plant in September–November.

1. Plant from September to November, as soon as you have the bulbs.
2. Dig a hole 5–8 cm deep and mix heavy soil with coarse sand for better drainage.
3. Set the bulbs pointed end up, 5–8 cm apart.
4. Cover with soil, firm lightly and water only if the autumn is very dry.
5. In a pot: use free-draining compost with a little sand and pack the bulbs close together.

Care

Water

Rarely needed in spring; water only in a long dry spell during flowering. During the summer rest let it dry out.

Feeding

Usually not needed. After flowering you may sprinkle a little compost or bulb fertiliser.

Mulching

A thin layer of coarse sand or fine grit keeps the soil free-draining; no thick layer of compost.

Spent flowers

Cut them off if you do not want it to self-seed; leave them if you want a natural drift.

Leaves

Leave them until they turn yellow, usually in May–June: they recharge the bulb for next year.

Tip: Plant it in large groups of at least 20 bulbs: only then do you get a blue carpet. Lovely in a pot with crocuses, which flower at the same time.

Muscari azureum: when to prune it?

When: Pruning is not needed. Cut off spent flowers if you wish and remove the leaves only when they are completely yellow and withered, usually in June.

How:

• Cut the spent flower stem off just above the ground.
• Leave the leaves in place for at least six weeks after flowering: the bulb feeds on them.
• Only when they are yellow, pull them off gently or cut them away.

Caution: Do not cut the leaves too early or tie them in knots: the bulb would flower less well next year.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Bulblets

In June–July, when the leaves are yellow, or in September: lift the clump, separate the small bulblets and replant them at 5–8 cm deep.

Seed

It seeds itself. You can also sow the seed in autumn in a tray outdoors; seedlings flower after 2–3 years.

Muscari azureum: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Fully hardy in Belgium (down to about −25 °C): no protection needed, even under snow.
• Make sure drainage is good: for this bulb, wet feet in winter are more dangerous than cold.
• In a pot: place the pot in a sheltered spot against a wall and do not let it stand in water.

Diseases and pests

• Bulb rot: In heavy, wet soil the bulbs rot and there is no flower. Plant in free-draining soil and mix clay with sand.
• Slugs: They sometimes eat young leaves and flowers. Pick them off by hand in the evening.
• Poor flowering: Too much shade, planted too densely or too much nitrogen. Divide crowded clumps and plant in a sunnier spot.
• Self-seeding: In good soil it forms many bulblets and seedlings. Cut off spent flowers if you do not want that.

Through the year

• March: Flowering begins. Bees visit.
• April: Flowering. Cut off spent flowers if you wish.
• May: Leaves turn yellow. Do not cut them off.
• June: Remove the leaves when fully yellow. Lift and divide if needed.
• July: Summer rest. Keep the soil dry.
• September: Plant, 5–8 cm deep.
• October: Plant. Fill pots.
• November: Last chance to plant.
• December: Resting underground.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The name Muscari comes from the Greek moschos, ‘musk’: some species smell musky.
• It used to be called Hyacinthus azureus or Pseudomuscari azureum.
• The species name azureum means ‘sky blue’, after the colour of the bells.