Asparagus Family [Asparagaceae] |
status
flower
inner
morph
petals
type
type
stem
toxicity
rarity
23rd April 2015, Whiton, Norfolk | Photo: © Dawn Nelson |
A perennial plant which grows from an underground bulb. It is the only native Grape-hyacinth; the 3 others are introduced and naturalised. It can spread, as here. |
23rd April 2015, Whiton, Norfolk | Photo: © Dawn Nelson |
It grows to 30cm high, with a dense inflorescence in a spike near the top. The topmost flowers are sky-blue and infertile. |
23rd April 2015, Whiton, Norfolk | Photo: © Dawn Nelson |
The individual flowers are said to be shaped and coloured like grapes, hence the common name Grape-hyacinth. |
23rd April 2015, Whiton, Norfolk | Photo: © Dawn Nelson |
Some of the leaves here belong to Grape-hyacinth; the thinner or broader ones are grasses. Grape-hyacinth leaves are between 2-8mm wide, linear to oblanceolate and up to 30cm long |
23rd April 2015, Whiton, Norfolk | Photo: © Dawn Nelson |
The flower spike is in a dense raceme between 1.5 to 5cm long. The fertile flowers are between 3.5 to 7.5mm long and 1.5 to 3.5mm wide. The dark-blue flowers are the largest and are fertile; whereas the sky-blue ones are smaller and infertile and the first to wither and shrivel (leftmost flower spike). |
23rd April 2015, Whiton, Norfolk | Photo: © Dawn Nelson |
Unlike hyacinths, the flowers are ovoidal and only splay out into 6 very-short 'petals' (actually tepals) right at the end. The flowers droop downwards obscuring their stamens and style. |
23rd April 2015, Whiton, Norfolk | Photo: © Dawn Nelson |
The small opening at the end of the flower is white to lilac in colour and consists of 6 curled-back very short tepals. Each flower is on a short petiole (stalk) which has a minute bract near the stem (best seen amidst the smaller infertile flowers are the top). |
Not to be semantically confused with : Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) [a plant with similar common name] nor with Pyrenean Squill (Scilla lilio-hyacinthus)[a plant with similar scientific name]
Some similarities to 3 other (non-native) Grape-hyacinths:
Muscari neglectum is toxic and contains a spread of
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Muscari | neglectum | ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ | Asparagaceae |
Muscari (Grape-Hyacinths) |
Asparagus Family [Asparagaceae] |