Muscari flower will create a bright spring mood in the garden. Muscari - early Muscari flowers how to breed

Muscari (lat. Muscari) is a small bulbous herbaceous perennial plant from the Asparagus family. In nature, you can find more than 60 species of this attractive and surprisingly touching plant. Muscari flowers are graceful and miniature, from 10 to 40 cm high. This is one of the first spring flowers with a pleasant aroma. It blooms in early spring, some species until June, with rich blue, pale blue, white flowers of an unusual cylindrical shape, creating a bright and positive mood in the garden awakening from winter.

In group plantings, muscari decorate lawns, garden plots, the plant is often used in rock gardens and discounts. Turkey is considered the birthplace of Muscari, the plant is common in Europe, the Caucasus, the Crimea and the Mediterranean countries. In nature, it can be found on mountain slopes, edges or alpine meadows. There are other names for the flower, because of its small size and amazing resemblance to hyacinth, it is also called viper onion or mouse hyacinth. Muscari is grown for cutting, it is perfect for distillation and is able to decorate a balcony or window sill with its unusual flowering in winter.

Muscari description

Muscari is a perennial bulbous low plant, its height can be from 10 to 40 cm. The bulbs are small, ovoid, with light outer scales. The diameter of the bulbs is from 2-4 cm, in varietal muscaria - up to 4-5 cm. Having a very short vegetative period, which occurs in the spring, muscari belongs to ephemeroid plants. For most of the year, after flowering, muscari is in a dormant stage - the ground part dies off, and the bulb accumulates all the nutrients it needs during the year in order to bloom again next spring. The leaves of the plant are narrow, collected in several pieces in a basal bundle, the length of the leaves is from 10 to 17 cm.
Muscari flowers are collected in lush inflorescences of the brush or apical inflorescences, up to 8 cm long, in their shape they resemble hyacinth or lily of the valley, they have a delicate, pleasant, slightly intoxicating aroma.

More often you can find flowers in gardens of dark blue, blue, purple or lilac colors, less often - white. The flowers have an unusual barrel-shaped, cylindrical, sometimes tubular shape, with fused, curved petals at the ends. The upper flowers of the inflorescence are sterile, they only attract insects that pollinate the plant. Muscaria fruit is a round or heart-shaped box, divided into three nests, in which there are small black seeds. The flowering time of the plant in the southern regions is early spring, in the central and northern regions it blooms later. Muscaria blooms for several weeks.

MUSCARI IN OPEN GROUND

Landing site and soil

Most cultivated plants of the genus are unpretentious, so the cultivation of muscari does not cause problems. Flowers prefer to grow in well-lit areas with direct sunlight, but can also live in the shade. Mouse hyacinth does not require much care and shelter for the winter, except that some varieties and species will need mulching (muscari broadleaf and muscari Oshe). In addition, Muscari flowers are undemanding to soils, they grow almost everywhere. But if the substrates are light or medium, rich in organic components and with a slightly acidic pH (5.8-6.5), they grow especially expressive and attractive. Therefore, before planting muscari in the soil, it is advisable to add compost or humus at the rate of half a bucket per square meter. m.

Planting Muscari

Plant mouse hyacinth in groups of 10 to 30 pieces. Bulbs (except for store ones) must first be treated with a fungicide, for example, Fitosporin. The distance between them during planting is on average 4-7 cm. Depth - up to 8 cm, it, like the distance, depends on the size of the bulb, for a smaller size - less, for large bulbs - more. In any case, there should be a soil layer of at least 1 cm above the bulb. Sometimes planting one hundred or two hundred plants per square meter is recommended as a scheme. m.
If planting muscari is supposed to be on a lawn, the sod is carefully removed to a depth of 8 cm on the selected area. Then the soil is loosened, seasoned with compost, removing exactly the same amount of soil to maintain a smooth lawn surface, and bulbs are planted. The cut piece of lawn immediately after planting the muscari is returned to its place and watered well. Muscari flower bulbs ↓

Muscari care

During growth and flowering, mouse hyacinth requires a moist (but not wet) substrate. In no case should water stagnate in the soil - this leads to rotting of the bulbs. For this reason, even areas slightly flooded in spring or during rains are not suitable for planting muscari. Plants especially need moisture during the flowering period. Watering is completely stopped after two weeks. After the leaves die, the best soil for the bulbs will be semi-dry soil.
In order for the muscari to bloom and grow well, compost is added to the soil in spring. Container plants are additionally fed with liquid complex fertilizers once every 2 weeks during the growing season.
Caring for muscari also includes loosening the soil and removing weeds that can interfere with the development of the bulb.
If Muscari flowers are grown on a lawn, the lawn is not mowed in this place during the growing season.

Otherwise, the Muscari bulbs will be small, and eventually disappear altogether. lawn mowing resume after complete wilting and drying of the leaves.
Muscari care is also facilitated by the fact that the plant is almost not affected by diseases and pests. Only rodents pose a threat to the bulbs, from which they are saved by repellers, mousetraps or special preparations.
The planting site of Muscari must be changed every four years. This can be done during the flowering of muscari, when the location of the bulbs is noticeable. To do this, dig out the overgrown curtains with a shovel and transplant them together with a clod of earth to a new place without damaging the roots.

Be sure to water well afterwards. In places where the location of resting bulbs after flowering is well determined, mouse hyacinth is transplanted in the fall.
With careful care, faded muscari buds are removed. Indeed, on the one hand, seed ripening takes away some of the nutrients from growing bulbs, and on the other hand, self-sowing contributes to the growth of Muscari plantings, which may be undesirable in a particular case. In some varieties, the seed pods are so decorative that they should not be removed, for example, the terry variety Blue Spike.

Bloom

Flowering lasts a little longer than 20 days. At this time, you should only regularly loosen the surface of the soil (after watering), while you need to be very careful not to injure the bulb. It is also necessary to produce timely weeding and, if necessary, cut off fading flowers. If you notice that over time, the flowers of the plant began to lose their former decorative effect, then this means that the muscari must be planted.

Transfer

Muscari can be propagated vegetatively with the help of babies separated from the mother bulb. In this way, the plant is propagated in the fall at the very time when the site is also digging (from the middle to the last days of October). Transplantation should be done only for those bushes that have grown in the same place for 5 to 6 years. However, you can understand that Muscari needs seating by its appearance. The bulbs must be dug up, and then separated from the mother's children (there are up to 30 of them). Then the bulbs will need to be planted in the manner described above.

Muscari after flowering

At the end of flowering, it is necessary to carefully cut off all flower stalks and fertilize with liquid phosphorus-potassium fertilizer in order to prepare the bulbs for wintering. Muscari need to be watered less and less. When the leaves on the bushes are completely dry, you need to stop watering them completely. In the autumn, it is necessary to dig up the site, and plant five-year-old bushes. From the bushes that are not transplanted this year, you need to remove the old leaf plates. Plants that have been transplanted or planted should be sprinkled with a layer of mulch (peat).

GROWING MUSCARI IN CONTAINERS

In recent years, growing Muscari flowers in decorative containers has become increasingly popular. How to plant muscari in this case?
A plastic pot with a drainage hole and bulbs planted in it in the fall is added dropwise in the garden, and in the spring they are placed in a beautiful planter, or the bulbs are transplanted along with the ground without disturbing the roots. Supplement the flower arrangement with planting other spring-flowering plants, for example, plant pansies . When the flowers lose their decorative effect, they are again transferred to the ground together with the pot for the further formation of bulbs, and left in this state until next spring. Growing Muscari in a container requires more care. Indeed, in this case, the plants are more often watered and fed.

GROWING MUSCARI IN CLOSED GROUND (distillation)

Only healthy bulbs of the largest diameter are suitable for distillation, depending on the type and variety, their size can be from 6 to 10 cm in diameter. You can buy them or use your own planting material. Muscari bulbs are dug up after the entire ground part has died off, washed, treated with a fungicide (Fitosporin, a weak solution of potassium permanganate, etc.), dried at room temperature and stored until September in a ventilated and dry place at a temperature of +20 ° C. Purchased bulbs are not processed, they are ready for planting. Then the storage temperature is lowered to +17 °C. The main condition for growing muscari in winter in pots and containers is the correct temperature regime. Without exposure at a temperature of + 2-5 ° C, muscari will not bloom.

Depending on the desired flowering period, the time for planting the bulbs is calculated: 3-4 months of exposure in cool conditions, plus two to three weeks for distillation. Having decided on the period, the bulbs are placed in a cold place with a temperature of +9 ° C for about 35 days, they are stored in dry sawdust, cotton wool or wrapped in paper. After the temperature is lowered to +5 ° C (you can use a refrigerator). Two weeks before the end of the cold period, muscari is planted tightly in pots in moist soil, deepening the bulbs by 2 cm, the upper part should remain in the air.
The substrate for forcing muscari is similar to that used for open ground: nutritious and aerated. You can use a mixture of peat, forest soil and sand (or perlite). At the bottom of the tank, you must definitely put something for drainage (expanded clay, shards, pebbles).
After the allotted time, the pots are transferred to a warm and bright place with a temperature of about +10 ° C, after a day or three the temperature is raised to +15 ° C. When the soil dries up, it is moderately watered, without falling on the top of the bulb. Flowering should occur in two weeks, in a cool room it will last longer, but still not exceed 10 days.

Popular varieties of muscari

In ornamental gardening, the following types are most widely used.

Muscari Armenian(M. armeniacum) native to Southwestern Transcaucasia and Northwestern Turkey grows on dry plains. On Russian household plots, this species is more common than others. Flowers cornflower blue. The plant is very unpretentious, winter-hardy. By the end of flowering, the stems often fall down, reducing the decorativeness of plantings. There are garden forms and varieties. Often used for group plantings.

Muscari Osh(M. aucheri) occurs naturally in Northwestern Iran. Flowers are blue, distinctly bell-shaped. The species does not respond well to excessive moisture.

Muscari grapevine(M. botryoides) grows in meadows and mountain slopes in the subalpine and alpine zones of Central and Southern Europe. One of the most common in culture. Outwardly similar to Armenian Muscari, but has narrower and shorter inflorescences. The flowers are blue with a purple tint. White-flowered and pink-flowered forms are known. In culture since the end of the XVI century.

Muscari changeable(M. commutatum) grows on mountain slopes in the Mediterranean. The flowers are dark, blue-violet. Winter-hardy.

Muscari broadleaf(M. latifolium) forms thickets along forest edges in Asia Minor. It has fairly wide leaves, giving the plant an unusual look. Flowers are dark purple. It is thermophilic, in the conditions of central Russia it needs light shelter for the winter. In warmer regions it is used for group plantings.

Muscari white(M. leucostomum) is found in the Black Sea region, Central Transcaucasia, Central Asia and Iran. Prefers loose fertile soils. The flowers are dark blue, with a purple hue and a white throat.

Muscari unassuming(M. neglectum) in nature grows along the edges, in thickets of shrubs and on rocky screes in the Mediterranean countries. The leaves are large, belt-like, sometimes appear in autumn. The flowers are deep dark blue, with a white border. In the upper part of the inflorescence are sterile light blue flowers. A very unpretentious and winter-hardy species, it propagates well by self-sowing.

Muscari multiflora(M. polyanthum) is found in the meadows of the subalpine and alpine belts of Southwestern Transcaucasia and Northeastern Turkey. The flowers are bell-shaped, bright blue, with pale teeth.

Reproduction and sowing

Muscari is propagated mainly vegetatively, by daughter bulbs. They are usually formed in large numbers. When transplanting, the daughter bulbs are separated, disassembled and planted to a depth of 6–8 cm at a distance of 10 cm from each other. If it is necessary to quickly obtain sufficiently dense plantings, the bulbs are planted at a distance of 5 cm.

Repotting is recommended every 5-7 years. Seed propagation is also possible, it is usually used for botanical species. Seeds are sown immediately after collection, in early - mid-summer, because during storage they quickly lose their germination capacity. Many types of muscari give abundant self-seeding. Young plants obtained from seeds bloom in the third year.

Like most early spring small-bulb plants, muscari are planted in rock gardens, in the foreground of mixborders, on lawns, in the form of borders, in boxes and planters.

Muscari Armenian, broad-leaved and grape-shaped are best suited for distillation.

bulb storage

The largest and healthiest bulbs dug in the beginning - the middle of summer are stored in a well-ventilated area. Until the beginning of October, they are kept at a temperature of 20–25°C, then it is reduced to 17°C. In mid-October - early November, they are planted in pots to a depth of 1-2 cm.

Before planting, the bulbs are soaked for 1 hour in a solution of potassium permanganate of medium strength. The soil in the pots must be moist. Further development of plants depends on temperature. At 9°C the rooting of the bulbs occurs within 1.5 months. Flowering occurs approximately 20 days after the temperature rises to 12–15°C.

Muscari pests and diseases

Muscari are prone to the following diseases:

1. 1. Mosaic on the leaves is a viral disease transmitted by aphids.
      The first sign of the mosaic is the dwarfing of the plant, its leaves look narrowed and deformed. The disease is carried by aphids, which infect a healthy bulb. If the infection of the bulb has already occurred, it must be dug up and burned so as not to infect other healthy specimens with the virus. A viral disease is not subject to treatment, it can only be prevented, that is, to deal with mosaic carriers - aphids. To kill aphids, use a solution consisting of 2 teaspoons of liquid soap and 2 glasses of water. Spray the plant with this solution.
   2. Spider mite. Muscari is sometimes affected by spider mites. To combat it, drugs such as Actofit, Fitoverm are used. When processing a plant with these preparations, it is necessary to strictly follow the instructions.
   3. Slug damage. If you find that the leaves of the plant are eaten away in some places and there are remains of mucus on them, then the plant has been attacked by mucus. The reason for the appearance of slugs is excessive moisture.

The earliest flower in the garden is Muscari. He is the first to wake up after hibernation to please everyone with an unsurpassed aroma, rich blue hue and the ability to create a composition that will enliven the whole house! Many flower growers are engaged in its cultivation, choosing certain varieties from the photo, but not everyone knows the intricacies of care. Here - information about the rules for planting in open ground, the necessary dressings, the neighborhood with other flowers in your garden and more!

Muscari description: varieties from which the varieties originate

Cute blue bells with a white skirt, the unusualness of which beckons, giving rise to a desire to plant a couple more varieties ... Do you have the same picture? So in front of you is Armenian Muscari (lat. Muscari), or mouse / grape hyacinth, or viper onion - a flower that belongs to the asparagus family. Initially, he was assigned to the Lileyny family, but later, upon closer examination, the breeders realized that they were mistaken. The halo of the flower habitat is Southern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, Crimea. In total, there are more than 60 types of muscari, the most popular of them are:

• muscari Tubergena (Osh), characterized by short stature and crescent-shaped leaves. A striking feature is the early flowering period;

• Muscari is pale, a frequenter of the territory of the Crimean peninsula. Especially loved by flower growers for their resistance to bad weather and the rich shade of bluebells;
• muscari crested, which is distinguished from other flowers on arcuate pedicels. They decorate lawns and driveways, using as a ground cover;

• muscari grape-shaped, characterized by small flowers. Bright "chip" - in 2 varieties of white and pink shades;
• Muscari Armenian, the most common among flower growers and breeders. Everyone will like the power of the bush, resistance to diseases, fairly large flowers and a large number of varieties, each of which is special.

Attention! There are more than 170 varieties of Armenian Muscari. There are plants with white, purple, purple, blue and pink flowers to choose from. A striking advantage is the huge number of flower stalks on the bush.

Features of planting a plant, or what needs to be considered

Mouse hyacinth is a small-bulbous flower, therefore, it does not need a specific land for development, it grows almost everywhere. This is due to the supply of nutrients in the bulb, which help the bush to form and flower stalks to take shape.

For planting bulbs, you can choose the time in September-October, before winter, or you can plant in early spring, as soon as the snow melts and the earth warms up to + 3-5 ° C. To plant Muscari you need:

1. Prepare the area. The optimal solution is to plant a flower in groups for maximum expressiveness. To do this, it is necessary to dig up (or loosen well) the soil by at least 8-10 cm. On soils with a pH of 5.8-6.5, the flower will delight with a more saturated shade, a powerful bush than on acidic or alkaline soils.
2. Disinfect purchased bulbs, pre-select diseased or damaged ones. A good remedy is a strong solution of potassium permanganate or Fitosporin.
3. Plant the bulbs in a group (10-30 pcs), but not less than 4-7 cm apart. The depth of planting the bulb will depend on its size, approximately 5-8 cm.
4. Water. An important condition for proper flower care is soil moisture, this must be monitored.
5. Mulch the basal neck if Muscari Oshe or broadleaf is chosen.

Aftercare does not require much effort. The flower will delight with its musky aroma, the richness of the hue of the bells, and will set everyone who sees it in a positive mood!

Viper onion care: not only the basic rules

Caring for muscari is simple, every novice grower can be sure of this. But despite its simplicity, it has its own characteristics. Treating them carefully, you will get abundant flowering for several months!

Fertilizer and top dressing, or what is needed for the growth and beauty of muscari

Caring for a flower in the open field comes down to simple rules. The most important of these is watering. The flower loves slightly moist (not wet!) Soil. If you notice that the leaves tend to the ground and dry out, then there is not enough watering. Therefore, it is worth carefully monitoring the condition of the soil.

In addition, mouse hyacinth must:

• feed throughout the season. To do this, you can choose organic fertilizers with different composition of micro-, macro-elements, feed the flower at the time of budding and during flowering. Usually, from 3 to 5 top dressings are made per season, which help to increase the decorative effect of the flower;
• pick off dry flower stalks that have faded. They can be cut with a knife or secateurs, contributing to the formation of new ones;
• repot muscari every 4th year. This will help to get new planting material, as well as rejuvenate the bush.

Simple rules of care will help you enjoy the primrose for a long time, rejoicing at its good location in the garden. It remains only to come up with a suitable company for Muscari!

Briefly about diseases and pests

Grape hyacinth is rarely damaged by diseases, but often by pests. Aphids can, if not destroy, then severely damage plants by introducing the onion yellow dwarf virus, mosaic. It is impossible to fight it, since no effective drugs have been found, so special attention should be paid to the appearance of aphids. Prevention - soap solution, as well as drugs of the avermectin group in conjunction with urea. And your muscari is always healthy!

Plant propagation: generative and vegetative methods

Like many bulbs, muscari is propagated by seeds and division of the uterine bulb. The first option is the most time-consuming, because it requires not only the purchase of seeds (you can collect from your own bushes), but also their cultivation at a certain temperature and humidity. The negative point of growing mouse hyacinth with the help of seeds is the flowering time, which will come only for 3-4 years.

Compared to this method, vegetative reproduction of muscari will delight with rapid flowering: young bulbs, separated from the mother in September, will give the first flowers in spring. What is needed in order to get a new planting material? Following:

• dig a two-year-old bulb in September;
• gently shake off the clods of earth, separate the small baby bulbs from the large ones;
• dry in the sun, can be treated with drugs that stimulate the formation of roots;
• plant the uterine bulbs in a permanent place, the children - in the distribution bed. The distance between the bulbs is 1-3 cm;
• shed flowers and leave to winter until spring. In spring, adult plants will give flowers, and children will give only greenery, by which it will be possible to judge the power of the future bush and the health of the whole plant.

The Muscari breeding method you have chosen will help you get enough planting material to decorate a flower bed, a discount, an alpine hill. And the garden will surprise both the household and the guest with bright blue accents.

Muscari: combination with other plants, or complete harmony visually

Undersized muscari is the flower of the first line after ground covers, as well as alyssum, purslane or other creeping blooms. Its planting among tall salvia, weaving roses or gladioli, for example, is impractical: it simply will not be visible.

The best solution is to plant viper onions in groups or in the foreground in front of other plants. At the same time, do not forget that the flower grows significantly in volume over the years, it is worth leaving enough space.

An interesting combination of mouse hyacinth with yellow or red, which can be found in the garden in the first spring. And then - only your imagination! Some varieties of petunias, undersized salvia, ranunculus and snapdragons will look interesting with it. Among the perennials, he will also find company!

The main thing is a sunny place and sufficient territory. And you know about care, watering and other subtleties. Choose a variety according to the photo in the catalog and decorate your flower bed with muscari!

Unpretentious muscari: video

A miniature, neat, compact flower mouse hyacinth captivates with its amazing, elegant delicate inflorescences. When all nature is still sleeping or just waking up after the snow melts, the first blue-violet hyacinth flowers are already reaching for the sun and are almost the only decoration of the garden.

Many species and varieties are used as ornamental plants, very often used in landscaping and decorating garden plots, grown as indoor plants. Thanks to easy and fast reproduction, completely unpretentious care, mouse hyacinth has gained a lot of fans among domestic gardeners.

Viper onion, muscari, mouse hyacinth are the main names for the same plant. More recently, the bulbous perennial flower was attributed to the Hyacinth or Liliaceae family, now the mouse hyacinth is listed in the Asparagus family.

The name muscari is given to the flower because of the characteristic smell, reminiscent of musk.

The flower was called the viper onion by chance, one might say, because of ignorance. The flower often grows in sunny, bright glades, in the same place, among the plants, snakes were often seen. Many, out of ignorance, believed that reptiles feed on the leaves of a flower. However, it soon became clear that the snakes are indifferent to herbs and flowers, and crawl out into the glades to soak up, bask in the sun.

The prefix in the name "mouse" appeared because of the miniature, tiny appearance of the bright purple and blue inflorescences.

In addition to the accepted, basic names, the flower also has folk names:

• in Europe, the plant was nicknamed grape hyacinth, because densely planted buds resemble a bunch of grapes in appearance;
• in France, muscari is called - earthen lilac, the name was fixed due to the similarity of the color and shape of dense inflorescences with purple flowers of unblown lilac;
• in Greece, the plant is called the "rain flower", since its appearance always coincides with the first spring precipitation.

Plant, low about 10-30 cm tall. The bulb is fleshy, ovoid, rounded, 2–3.5 cm in diameter, covered with light scales. The leaves are basal, linear, belt-like, strong, 10–17 cm long and 0.5–2.5 cm wide. At the beginning of the growing season, up to seven leaves come out of one bulb. Depending on the species and variety, basal leaves can form in spring or autumn.

The stalk is an upright peduncle, naked, dense from one bulb-head, most often, one, less often two peduncles comes out. At the top of the stem, a dense, dense, many-flowered, racemose inflorescence 2–8 cm long is formed.

The flowers are small, fragrant, on short pedicels, tightly pressed to each other. In shape, the buds resemble a capsule or a barrel with six short cloves bent outwards. Miniature flowers can be compared to lily of the valley flowers, only tightly seated on the stem. In most cases, the color of the buds is blue or purple, there are varieties with white, pink, yellow, combined colors.

Seeds are formed only in the lower part of the inflorescence, since the apical flowers are sterile. The fruit is a three-celled, winged, angular seed pod. The seeds are dark, small, rounded, wrinkled and remain viable for about one year.

The flowering period depends on the species and variety, the climatic zone of cultivation. The plant is early flowering, mainly from April to the end of May you can observe delicate miniature flowers. Breeders have obtained new varieties, the flowering of which can be observed until mid-June. The duration of flowering is not more than one month.

Muscari is a completely undemanding plant that endures shortcomings in care. It can calmly exist without much attention to its person from the grower.

Mouse hyacinth is an excellent honey plant; its pleasant smell attracts many bees, butterflies and bumblebees to the garden.

The flower is widespread throughout Europe, Western Asia, North Africa, and in the countries of the Mediterranean region.

The greatest probability of seeing muscari is in the grassy slopes, among the bushes on the edges in the mountain-forest belt. Some species have become naturalized in North America and Australia.

Bloom

Delicate, miniature plants bloom throughout the spring. The beginning and duration of flowering depends on the variety and type of hyacinth, as well as on growing conditions. The earliest flowers can be seen as early as April. Breeders have bred new varieties whose flowers can be admired in early summer. By combining different types and varieties with different flowering periods in a flower bed, you can achieve flowering of mouse hyacinth throughout the spring, at best - until mid-June.

On a bare, strong stem, a racemose inflorescence is formed with densely planted buds on thin stems. The flowers are small, neat, reminiscent of round lanterns or berries. Wild species have predominantly purple and blue shades of flowers; plants with white, blue, pink and yellow flowers can be grown in culture.

After flowering, the mouse hyacinth goes into hibernation, which lasts most of the year.

Species, varieties and varieties

As of 2014, a little more than 40 species of mouse hyacinth, muscari are known. About 20 species are found on the territory of Russia and the former Soviet republics. Most of which are grown as ornamentals, in flower pots at home and in household plots.

Thanks to the natural diversity and the work of breeders, Muscari has many varieties and varieties. They differ in the shape and color of the buds, the length of the stem and leaves, the flowering period. Not all mouse hyacinths are early-flowering, there are representatives of the genus whose flowers can be admired from late May - early June. And you can also divide Muscari by popularity, into universal favorites and rare, little-studied species.

Muscari grapevine

Muscari grapevine

In various sources, in addition to the main name, you can find a description of a flower called racemose mouse hyacinth (Muscari botryoides). This type of muscari is most commonly seen in flowerbeds and gardens. The plant is small, no more than 12–15 cm long. Due to its modest size, the flower is recommended to be planted in open areas, in the foreground of the flower garden.

The head - the bulb has a rounded, elongated appearance up to 3.5 cm in length and up to 2.5 cm in width. Leaves, narrow linear, smooth, no more than 12 cm long and up to 1 cm wide. One bulb produces two to six leaves. Small, miniature barrel-shaped purple flowers, the edges of the flower are tiny, recurved teeth, white. Flowers, in a racemose inflorescence no more than 12 cm long, very densely planted on a strong peduncle.

The first buds open in early May. With their delicate, bright, unusual appearance, flowers delight no more than one month. Then the seeds are formed. Based on the species, various varieties with white and pink buds were obtained.

Muscari broadleaf

Muscari broadleaf

In its natural environment, it grows and occurs in a limited area in the western and southern forests of Turkey. Despite this, the flower has gained wide popularity among lovers of garden flowers. Broad-leaved hyacinth, a very thermophilic species, it does not tolerate cold drafts, and in winters with little snow it can freeze slightly. For the cold season, the plant needs additional shelter.

Starting from the middle of spring, an arrow with a flower emerges from the bulb, the height of which can reach 25 cm. The inflorescence is tight, about a hundred small, elongated, berry-like flowers are formed. The inflorescence itself has a cylindrical shape, the color of which is light purple at the top, smoothly moving to the base with a darker purple hue. Flowering time is about 25-30 days.

Ovate bulb up to 2 cm in diameter and up to 3 cm in length. Leaves, lanceolate, large compared to other species, up to 2.5 cm wide and up to 15–17 cm long. The leaf plates are strong, grow up and, as it were, hug the peduncle, in appearance they resemble tulip leaves.

Muscari pale

Muscari pale

The species is rarely found in home gardens and flower shops. In its natural environment, it grows on the mountain slopes and subalpine meadows of the Caucasus and in eastern Turkey.

From one oval bulb-head, up to 3 cm long and up to 2 cm in diameter, up to six narrow, belt-like leaves grow up to 20 cm long and 0.5 cm wide. With the onset of cold weather, the leaves die off, becoming an additional shelter for the winter. One bulb is capable of producing one, less often two peduncles up to 12 cm long. The inflorescence is formed from 40 small, elongated, oval flowers of pale blue color, almost white. You can admire the beautiful, delicate flowers of Muscari for 15–20 days in the second half of May. In culture, on the territory of Russia, it is extremely rare.

Muscari crested

Muscari crested

The only species that is unmistakably recognizable among the representatives of the mouse hyacinth. The flower has an additional "tail", "forelock" or "tuft" at the top of the inflorescence. It blooms in late May - early June, the species is classified as a late-flowering mouse hyacinth. During flowering, the plant is strongly stretched. So, in the initial stage of the appearance of flowers, the height of the plant is not more than 25 cm. At the end of flowering, the stem with buds stretches up to 50–70 cm.

From a large bulb, up to 4 cm in diameter, 4–6 narrow, belt-like leaves come out.
There are usually no more than two peduncles, at the top of each a many-flowered, loose racemose inflorescence is formed. Small flowers of dark blue-violet color of a cylindrical form on thin petioles. At the top of the stem, the buds are clustered and have longer pedicels, which is why they take on the appearance of a tuft. The apical flowers are sterile, the seeds are formed after pollination of flowers with a brown-purple color and a light, beige edge. The species propagates more by seeds than by daughter bulbs, which is why it often weeds.

In nature, crested muscari grows on the plains of Southern Europe, Southeast Asia.

Muscari Osh or Muscari Tubergen

Muscari Osh

Very nice and neat look. The inflorescence is small, formed by densely planted barrel-shaped flowers. A distinctive feature of the species is the color of the buds. At the top, the flowers are painted in pale blue or light blue, on the lower, most of the inflorescence, the flowers are of a more contrasting, dark color with white teeth. Flowering time is mid-April.

The bulb is medium-sized, ovoid, almost rounded up to 1.5 cm in diameter and up to 2 cm long. The leaves are narrow, linear, up to 15–18 cm long and up to 0.5 cm wide. Usually one bulb produces up to three leaves and one peduncle up to 25 cm long. In winter, the leaves fall, creating additional shelter for the winter.

Muscari Pretty

Muscari Pretty

Blooms in late winter - early spring. Because of this feature, it is practically not grown at home. In the natural environment, it can be found in the territory of Southwestern Israel and the coastal regions of the Mediterranean Sea.

The leaves are narrow, the edges are bent, forming a narrow gap. The plant is miniature, together with the peduncle is up to 15 cm in height. The ovoid inflorescence is formed by densely planted, elongated flowers of a bright blue color with bent white teeth.

Muscari ragweed

Muscari ragweed

Muscari species with interesting large buds collected on a strong, erect peduncle. Each bud has an elongated shape, narrowed at the end. Flowers on short petioles, loosely planted. On one peduncle, there are 20-50 flowers, the color of which changes over time. So, at the beginning of flowering, the buds are purple, gradually turn pale, brighten, acquire a greenish-yellow hue, and at the end of flowering they become creamy.

The plant is small, about 10–25 cm tall. The leaves are dark green, linear, grooved, dense up to 2 cm wide, equal to the length of the peduncle. The flowering period falls on the beginning - the middle of spring.

blue spike

A young variety from Holland, recognized as highly decorative, often used in landscape design and floristry. Plant height is 20–25 cm. The racemose inflorescence is voluminous, double, formed by 150–170 small, blue, fragrant flowers. Unlike the natural species, the Blue spike variety has several buds on one pedicel, which is why the inflorescence takes the form of a “shaggy” panicle. All flowers are sterile. During the season, the plant forms up to 3 daughter bulbs. Blooms in May for 20-25 days. The vegetation of the leaves begins in autumn, which do not fall off and hibernate under the snow.

Cantab

Muscari Cantab

The variety is a representative of the Armenian Muscari species. The maximum height of the plant during the flowering period is 20 cm. It blooms in May for one month. The flowers are bright blue with white teeth. The buds are elongated, densely planted on a straight stem. The variety is quite popular, often used for landscaping gardens and growing at home.

Moschatum

A little-studied and rather rare species of mouse hyacinth. It was found in the mountains of Turkey and northern Iraq. Plant height no more than 20 cm. Leaves, narrow up to 2 cm wide, long, belt-like, dark green. In one inflorescence there are about 50 cylindrical flowers, narrowed at the ends. The edges are serrated, bent outwards. The species has been little studied and so far the question remains open as to which family it belongs to either hyacinth or proleskovy.

Muscari neglected

Muscari neglected

In the literature, the species can be found under a different name - the unnoticed mouse hyacinth. At the beginning of the growing season, one or two bare peduncles emerge from the bulb. Only after that, leaves appear. The flowers are elongated, oval-tubular, dark blue or purple, outwardly similar to large grapes. The teeth are rounded and painted white. Inflorescence oblong, dense, many-flowered. Leaves, narrow, up to 15 cm long, up to 6 pcs. emerge from the ovoid bulb.

Muscari neglected is distributed over a vast territory of Europe, Asia and Russia. It is predominantly found in the forest-steppe and steppe zones. In Russia, the species is included in many Red Books of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation: Belgorod, Volgograd, Kursk and Rostov regions.

Saffier

Muscari Saffier

Variety, representative of the Armenian Muscari. A rather heat-loving flower, it is extremely rare in Russian latitudes. In one season, a whole group of "daughter" bulbs is formed in one plant. Because of this feature, the variety quickly spreads and fills the nearest territories. Flowers, dark blue, elongated, with white edges. Blooms in April - May. The height of the plant together with the peduncle is about 20 cm.

Muscari azure

Muscari azure

In different sources, the species is found under the name azure muscari. Plant 15-20 cm tall. The inflorescence is small, up to 8 cm long, formed by bell-shaped, cylindrical flowers of pale blue color, and the color of the flowers varies depending on the location. So, in the upper part of the inflorescence, the flowers are lighter, in the lower part they are darker. One inflorescence contains about 30-50 buds.

The plant blooms very interestingly - at first the lower flowers bloom, creating the effect of a "ballerina's skirt". You can watch an amazing fragrant flower in April - May. The homeland of the species is the mountainous regions of northwestern Turkey.

Plumosum

Muscari comosum Plumosum

An interesting variety of crested species of mouse hyacinth. The flowers are very different from the usual type of muscari buds. Open inflorescences, formed by filiform, purple-violet, sterile flowers. The form is unstable in the middle lane.

Muscari large-fruited

Muscari large-fruited

Basal leaves, dark gray-green in color, narrow, with curved edges. The buds are large, cylindrical or barrel-shaped, red-brown in color, as they open, they acquire a yellow-green tint. The height of the flower together with the peduncle is 15–20 cm.

Home care

An unpretentious, charming flower will perfectly fit into any interior, bring a special spring freshness and comfort to a city apartment, an open balcony or terrace. Growing mouse hyacinth in a separate flower container is not difficult. For these purposes, choose a container with a large number of holes at the bottom, to remove excess water and prevent liquid stagnation. Drainage material is placed first in the flower container - expanded clay, broken brick or crushed nut shells. Next, loose, fertilized, permeable soil falls asleep. Bulbs are planted in moist soil.

One of the features of growing muscari at home is a short growing season. The plant is kept indoors only during flowering. After the flowers wither and the leaves dry, the pot is transferred to the garden, and partially buried. This procedure will allow the plant to form bulbs. The flower container with muscari remains in the garden until the end of winter.

With the beginning of spring, the pot is returned to the room, the bulbs, together with the ground, are transplanted into a new flower container, or the pot is placed in a beautiful planter.

Even despite the unpretentious nature of the plant, keeping it at home requires much more attention and effort, compared to counterparts growing in the open field.

Watering

Muscari can be called a flower for very busy people. Those who love the beauty around them, but are not able to pay due attention to it. The flower endures shortcomings in the content. The only time when the plant needs care is the flowering period. Hyacinth needs strength to open the flower. During this period, the soil around the muscari should be kept moist. It is extremely dangerous to fill the flower planting sites with water, it is very susceptible to excess and stagnant water.

Prolonged exposure to wet soil can cause the bulbs to rot.

After 1.5-2 weeks, after the start of flowering, you can relax your attention to watering the flower. Especially after flowering, the hyacinth goes into "sleep mode" and there is enough natural precipitation for a comfortable plant growth.

thinning

Having once planted a mouse hyacinth in the garden, after 3-4 years you can find a fairly densely overgrown area. Muscari is thinned out as needed when the flower has grown and in case of transplanting to a new place. To exclude self-seeding, after flowering, the arrow with seeds is cut off.

Fertilizer and top dressing

To maintain active growth, bright and lush flowering, the plant needs top dressing. In the spring, when digging, organic fertilizers are applied to the soil at the rate of 4–5 kg of raw materials per square meter.

To provide the flower with all the nutrients, compost is added to the soil in the fall. This will allow the bulbs to gain strength, survive the winter and wake up in the spring.

In a pot culture, Muscari needs to be fed twice a month during the growing season. Use liquid special combined fertilizer for home ornamental plants.

Hyacinth long-lived, in one place can easily grow 8-10 years.

How to care for muscari in the garden

Mouse hyacinth is one of the first garden plants that pleases with its flowering, long before the blooming of other plantings. Nature has decreed that gentle, bright panicles of Muscari are not at all lost in the middle of the site. And all because nothing prevents the plant from reaching for the sun - the grass has not yet grown, the leaves on the trees have not blossomed.

The flower will put up with any place in the garden, whether it is a bright, open meadow or at the foot of trees in partial shade. The main thing is that the hyacinth should not be planted in the lowlands and low areas of the garden. For a flower, prolonged stagnation of water is detrimental. To care is completely undemanding. Bulbs in the ground calmly endure winters in central Russia.

Proper care and maintenance will allow muscari to form larger and healthier bulbs, flowering will be brighter, richer and longer.

General rules of care are suitable for all types of mouse hyacinth, however, some varieties require closer attention from the grower. So, the broad-leaved species and Osh, need soil mulching.

Periodically, the soil around the bulb is checked for weeds. Unwanted vegetation, dried leaves are removed, the soil is loosened. Moreover, the leaves from the plant are removed after their complete death. During the period of active growth, you can not completely cut the plant. As a result of such actions, bulbs suffer, which react sharply to a sharp interruption in the growth process. If you often cut off the aerial part, then the bulbs will gradually grind and after a while they will simply disappear.

Soil Requirements

An amazing perennial is very tenacious, able to take root on the ground with any mechanical composition. If you set a goal to provide the flower with ideal growth conditions, then first of all, loose, fertile soil is selected. The earthen substrate must pass water well, stagnation of liquid is detrimental to the plant.

Muscari after flowering

If the plant was not grown for cutting, then after flowering, the stems should be cut. Moreover, the procedure for removing the inflorescence is best carried out before the seeds are fully ripe. Ripening fruits take a lot of strength from the bulb. Many gardeners do not remove inflorescences, they allow the fruits to ripen. This allows the plant to propagate by seed.

Preparing for winter

One of the advantages of Muscari is its resistance to the cold season. Dry soil, dead leaves will serve as a good shelter for the bulb for the winter. Additional shelter is required only for some species and varieties.

Planting and reproduction

Mouse hyacinth is propagated in two ways - seeds and daughter bulbs. The plant is many and often "gives birth" to new bulbs-heads. In this connection, the vegetative method is an easier way to propagate hyacinth. Especially in flower shops, you can often find Muscari bulbs, and not seeds.

And the flowering of a plant grown by seeds occurs much later, compared with the propagation of bulbs.

It is better to buy material for planting in specialized stores, in which the chance to purchase low-quality goods is minimal. In any case, the bulbs should be treated with a fungicide before planting. In almost every home there is potassium permanganate powder, a weak aqueous solution of which will save the seed from possible diseases and pests.

When to plant?

Muscari is planted in early autumn, so that before the onset of cold weather they take root in a new place and gain strength to survive the winter. Flowering of young bulbs occurs in the second year after planting.

How to plant?

In a prepared place, deepenings of 5–8 cm are made at a distance of 5–10 cm from each other. The bulb is lowered into the hole, sprinkled with earth so that the layer of earth above the bulb is about 2 cm. Mouse hyacinth is planted in groups of 10–30 bulbs, while planting the plant is not thickened. Single plantings are not so spectacular, even at home, several muscari are planted in one flower container.

Growing from seeds

This method of obtaining new plants is rarely used. Since the first flowering can be seen in 3-4 years. The first 1-2 years are spent on the formation of bulbs. Seeds, with good germination, are formed only on the largest and healthiest flowers.
Sowing seeds is carried out in the fall. In pre-prepared beds or containers with soil, seeds are planted to a depth of 0.5-1 cm. Throughout the entire time, until germination, they are periodically watered, weeds are removed, gently loosened, and top dressing is applied.

Vegetative propagation methods

Muscari often forms a lot of daughter bulbs, which are used to propagate hyacinth. By the end of the growing season, during transplantation, young bulbs are separated from the main bulb. This method allows you to get a new plant much faster than seed propagation. If the flower is not planted, then after 2-3 years you can get a thick flowering carpet.

Soil preparation

Hyacinth is able to grow in almost any soil. However, every grower strives to create ideal conditions for the growth and development of garden plantings. In the case of mouse hyacinth, prepare the soil with a variety of organic matter and an acidity index in the range of 5.8-6.5.

When compost or humus is added to the soil, the plant responds with a brighter, more saturated color and long flowering.

Transfer

Strongly overgrown plants should be divided or completely transferred to a new place. To do this, with the help of a shovel, they dig in a large group of muscari. They take out the bulbs, keeping the "native" clod of earth. The roots are brittle, so try not to shake off the ground from them. Planted in a new place, watered abundantly. Transplantation is carried out in the fall, after the end of the vegetative period.

Wintering and storage of bulbs

If the dug out bulbs are intended for storage, then they are treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, dried in a room at a temperature not exceeding 20 ° C. Store in a cool place. If the planting material was purchased in a specialized store, then they do not need additional disinfecting treatment with fungicides.

Diseases and pests

The plant is rarely attacked by various insect pests, since all parts of the flower are poisonous.

Problems with growth, flowering arise due to a gross violation of growing conditions.

One of the common problems leading to wilting and even death of the plant is the rotting of the bulbs due to stagnant water in the soil.

Medicinal properties of the Muscari plant

Due to its medicinal properties, muscari is used in folk medicine. However, it is not pharmacopoeial; it is not used in traditional medicine.

Due to its pleasant aroma, mouse hyacinth has found application in perfumery and cosmetology. Muscari essential oil for cosmetic purposes is used as an antiseptic, bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, disinfectant, effective as an aphrodisiac for sexual weakness and frigidity.

Despite the many beneficial properties of muscari, do not forget that all parts of the plant are poisonous.

An alcohol tincture is prepared from fresh flower petals, used for external use (lotions, rubbing, compresses). Alcoholic extracts are used to care for aging, problem skin, with acne.

Viper onion has been widely used in Asian folk medicine, where various preparations from the plant are used as a wound healing, analgesic and rejuvenating agent.

Muscari essential oil is often used in aromatherapy. Possessing a sedative effect, it has proven itself in the treatment of disorders of the nervous system.
During painful and heavy menstruation, in folk medicine, muscari douching is used.

Plant-based preparations are used only externally, ingestion can cause poisoning. The plant is poisonous (especially bulbs), its use for medicinal and cosmetic purposes should be careful. Contraindications to the external use of muscari are the period of pregnancy and breastfeeding, childhood, individual intolerance.

Working and contacting with muscari, you should protect the skin from getting the juice of the plant.

Application in landscape design

Small, miniature flowers are used in landscaping gardens, lawns, ridges, rock gardens, along paths, as a border plant, in continuously blooming flower beds. It looks great surrounded by low-growing ground cover grasses, as a sealant between large flowers. Good partners for mouse hyacinth will be other bulbous and herbal flowers - crocuses, chionodoxes, daffodils, tulips, hazel grouses, hyacinths, primroses. An excellent combination of blue-violet flowers of the viper onion with yellow and red flowers.

To emphasize the bright inflorescences, the flower is planted against the backdrop of garden plants with large gray leaves. When organizing a mixed flower garden, flowers with a later flowering period are planted next to the hyacinth. Since Muscari cannot boast of a bright unusual appearance after flowering, properly selected “neighbors” can brighten up the absence of bright flowers of a small plant. Excellent late-flowering partners for muscari are styloid phloxes, stalks, astilbes, hosts.

Mouse hyacinth has a pleasant and strong smell, well suited for cutting and creating bouquets, various flower arrangements. Inflorescences are cut into bouquets only after the opening of the lower flowers.

Beautiful bulbous perennial plants called Muscari are used to decorate gardens. Some varieties have a second name "mouse hyacinth" because of their similarity with hyacinth. In their natural environment, they grow in Europe, the Caucasus and Asia, you can see them in the Crimea. The height of muscari can vary from ten to forty centimeters, the aroma is pleasant. Muscari has cylindrical flowers. Their coloring: white, pink, blue shades. In gardens, they plant it to decorate flower beds, borders, and decorate it. How to plant muscari correctly, how to provide care when a transplant is performed?

Muscari flower

This is an unpretentious flower that is planted in open ground in autumn. It is better to do this in September or October, so that the planting material is well rooted before the onset of cold weather. If the temperature has dropped to 5 degrees, then it is better to postpone planting until next year.

You can buy planting material at any flower kiosk. When choosing, we should carefully inspect the bulbs for the absence of stains and mechanical damage. It is better to buy bulbs with children.

The planting site should be on a hill, may be sunny or shaded. It is important that it is on the rise, otherwise the bulbs will simply rot from the abundance of water when watering.

What should be the soil? Loose soil is recommended, while it should not contain a large amount of clay. Before planting, the soil is fertilized with organic matter. This may be the introduction of compost or humus into the soil. With this fertilizer, the flowers will become larger, and the plant itself will quickly grow.

When to dig muscari out of the ground? With regular top dressing in one place, the flower can grow up to 10 years, then it is transplanted to another part of the garden. It is not dug up for the winter, it tolerates cold very well.

Muscari: planting and care

Planting muscari in open ground

Planting material before planting is soaked in a pink infusion of potassium permanganate for 60 minutes. After that, disinfected bulbs can be planted in the ground.

Due to the small size of the planting material, it is recommended not to dig a hole for each bulb, but to make a trench with a small depression (about 8 cm). The bottom should be drained with sand. A layer is poured to a height of 20 mm. So, the bulbs will have additional protection against bacteria. Landing is best done when the ground has already warmed up to 18 degrees Celsius.

The distance between the flowers should be no more than 10 cm. After planting the bulbs, sprinkle with soil.

Care

Planting and caring for a plant in the open field is a very simple procedure. The life of a flower can be divided into a period of dormancy and flowering. During the time when the plant is gaining growth and forming buds, it blooms, it is actively fed and watered. After flowering, when a dormant period sets in, it is not worth watering Muscari.

• Fertilizer

During the growing season, the flower is fed with compost or humus diluted in water. They begin to fertilize when young sprouts are just breaking through the ground. The second dressing is done when the buds are set.

• Watering

During flowering, the plant requires constant watering. The gardener should ensure that the soil is always moist. The rest of the time, watering is optional, usually muscari has enough natural precipitation and moisture from melted snow. If you water it too often, the bulbs will rot in the ground. It is recommended to water in the morning, and after the rain has passed, the soil should be loosened.

• Care during the flowering period

Flowering lasts about 3 weeks. Muscari does not require special caring procedures. It is enough to loosen the soil after watering or rains so that more oxygen enters the roots of the flower. As weeds appear, weeding is required.

In extreme heat without rain, you can mulch the soil with pine bark, grass clippings, or fine gravel. These procedures will help the earth stay moist longer.

• Care after flowering

Muscari plants bloom for about 3 weeks. During this period, it pleases the gardener with its beautiful inflorescences of blue, purple, pink or white.

In Muscari, after flowering, faded flower stalks are cut off, it is fed to nourish the onions. For fertilizer, use compounds based on potassium and phosphorus.

After wilting occurs, watering stops completely, the bulb enters a dormant period.

Muscari transplant

For the winter period, the bulbs are not dug up. They perfectly survive the winter months in the ground without freezing. When to transplant Muscari? If the bushes have grown strongly, then you can make a transplant. This procedure is performed no more than once every 4 years.

When digging a site, transplantation is done by separating the children from the mother bulb of Muscari. Usually there are up to 20-30 babies on a muscari bulb. Before re-planting, they are thoroughly dried and added dropwise again.

Proper winter preparation

Before preparing for the winter, Muscari is once again fertilized with humus. The optimal dosage of humus: 5 kg per square meter of area. For the winter, the flower is not covered with a film or other materials.

Muscari diseases and pests

Due to the toxicity of parts of the plant, it rarely gets sick and is exposed to pest infestation. But there are cases of damage to the flower of plant aphids, spider mites and viruses.

• The plant is affected by the onion yellow dwarf virus. The arrows and the flower itself do not grow well, a yellow mosaic pattern appears on the leaves. Leaves become narrow.
• In rare cases, a cucumber mosaic appears. What does an affected flower look like? The leaves are deformed, spots and strokes appear on them. The carrier of these diseases: aphids. The most optimal treatment option is to dig up infected muscari and burn it. No other recipes for combating viral diseases have yet been found. To minimize the likelihood of a viral infection, aphids should be destroyed.
• Get rid of annoying aphids will help mechanical flushing of insects with water from the flower bushes. To do this, the gardener will need to take a hose and turn on a high pressure to flush the aphids to the ground. If necessary, repeat the procedure.
• You can supplement this method by treating with a solution of water and detergent. Soap, dish detergent or washing powder is taken and diluted at the rate of 5 tablespoons per liter jar of water. Do not use household chemicals with a strong cosmetic smell, it will only attract aphids even more.
• To destroy the spider mite, treatments with Fitoverm, Vertimek, Aktofit will be needed. The use of chemicals is recommended at a temperature not lower than 18 degrees. The dosage and regularity of use are prescribed in the instructions on the packaging of the drugs.

Types and varieties of Muscari

There are about 60 types of Muscari flowers. Some of them grow in natural conditions, and the rest grow in the wild.

grape muscari

Muscari grapevine

For 4 hundred years, this variety has been grown in Southern and Central Europe. Mostly grows in the wild. It is a plant with small blue flowers. Its garden subspecies:

• var. album. The flowers are white and look like pearls.
• var. carneum. A plant with pink flowers.

Armenian Muscari

Muscari Armenian, terry variety

This is a flower with white large inflorescences with double stems. Has a pleasant aroma. One of its subspecies "mouse hyacinth" has a special frost resistance. It differs in different tones in the color of the upper and lower flowers: the top is lighter. The lower flowers have a rich dark blue hue and are decorated with a white border. The plant is very beautiful and is often used for decoration. The most famous varieties:

• Terry Blue Spike. Clusters of flowers are plentiful, flowers are terry blue.
• Christmas Pearl. Differ in inflorescences of a purple hue.
• Fantasy Creation. This is a beautiful synthesis of greens and blues. Plant height varies from 10 to 20 cm.

Pale Muscari

Muscari pale

Grows on hillsides and slopes. It has a small height, its inflorescences are blue and shaped like bells. The most famous variety: White Rose Beauty. Inflorescence color: pale pink.

broadleaf muscari

The plant differs from other species in the width of the leaves, which are shaped like tulip leaves. The clusters of flowers themselves are shaped like a cylinder.

crested muscari

Muscari crested

In the wild, it grows on lawns, you can see it between the bushes. Distinctive features: pedicels in the form of an arc; the height of the muscari of this variety is 20 cm, and the inflorescence can reach 70. This is a frost-resistant variety of the plant.
- The most common plumozum variety is distinguished by sterile flowers of purple or lilac color.

Muscari Osh

Origin: Iran. It is characterized by pale teeth located on the inflorescences. Flower color: blue. There are varieties with lighter shades of flowers, the leaves of such plants look like a sickle.

Muscari pretty

It grows in Israeli parks in Ashkelon. The flowering of the plant begins in winter. The flowers have a rich blue color and limbs of white teeth. The inflorescences are egg-shaped.

Muscari is an unpretentious plant that does not require careful care and processing. This makes it very convenient for decorating rock gardens, slides and flower beds in gardens. It is important not to flood the plant, from time to time to feed with organic fertilizers and check for pests. The plant will delight the gardener with its early beautiful decorative flowers for 3 weeks.

A perennial plant called muscari can decorate any area. This unpretentious flower is very easy to plant and even easier to care for in the garden. It is often used to create rock gardens and various design compositions. In addition to its beauty, the flower also has a pleasant aroma that lasts for three weeks of flowering.

Species and varieties

Muscari belongs to the genus of perennial bulbous plants of the asparagus family, however, earlier the flower belonged to the hyacinth family. Muscari has several other names, such as viper onion and mouse hyacinth. To date, there are about 60 species of this plant. Muscari flowers can grow on the slopes of mountains and on the forest edge. Most often, the plant is grown on the sides of a small hill. The flowers are miniature and refined, they decorate lawns, rock gardens, and are also used to decorate paths and borders. They have a strong, pleasant aroma.

Muscari flower bulbs are egg-shaped with light scales. The length of the bulb is 1.5-3.5 centimeters, and the diameter is up to 2 centimeters. The plant has long basal leaves that grow up to 17 centimeters. Muscari reaches an average height of 30 centimeters. The palette is more common from white to navy blue. The flowers are collected in a racemose inflorescence up to 8 centimeters long. Now the most popular types are:

Muscari Armenian

Flowering begins in late spring and lasts 3 weeks. This variety is called mouse hyacinth. Above the flowers are a light shade, and below are dark blue inflorescences with a white rim. Has a very pleasant smell. The most famous varieties of this species are: Blue Spike, Christmas Pearl, Fantasy Creation.

Muscari grapevine

Most often it can be found in Southern and Central Europe. The flowers are much smaller than those of the Armenian Muscari. They are usually blue in color, but there are two garden varieties: white and pink muscari.

Muscari pale

Usually this type of flower grows on the slopes of the mountains and blooms with small blue bells. The most popular variety for home breeding is White Rose Beauty.

Muscari crested

Found in dry meadows and forest edges. On the peduncle are purple flowers. Looks great on lawns and lawns, especially among the grass. A popular variety is Plumozum.

In addition to these well-known species, there are also others: ragweed muscari, strange muscari, densely flowered muscari, long-flowered muscari, and many-flowered muscari.

When and how to plant

Muscari are small-bulb flowers, they begin to be planted in open ground in late August or early autumn. The flower prefers sunny or shaded areas. But it is best if the plant is planted on some small hill, because if the water suddenly stagnates in the soil, the muscari bulbs will die very quickly in the ground.

The soil should be loose; Muscari will not take root in clay soil.

Before planting muscari, it is necessary to prepare the ground in advance. To do this, it should be fertilized with organic fertilizer. It could be compost or manure. Such fertilizers will help the bulbs grow quickly. They will become large, therefore, the flowers will be much larger. With regular feeding, muscari can grow in one place for up to 10 years. After that, it will need to be transplanted.

Muscari bulbs are quite small, so you can not dig separate holes, but immediately make a trench, the depth of which should be about 8 centimeters. The distance between the bulbs is desirable to do no more than 10 centimeters. Be sure to sprinkle some earth on top.

Features of flower care in the garden

Muscari is an unpretentious plant, beginners will not have any difficulties both in planting and in outdoor care. Here is the care that Muscari needs in the garden:

• Watering. If the spring was dry, regular watering is necessary. But under normal weather conditions, Muscari usually needs to be watered at the beginning of the growing season. Moisture until this time will be enough for him, especially after the snow melts and spring rains;
• loosening. The soil should be loosened slightly after watering. This should be done carefully so as not to damage the bulb. Remove weeds and wilted flowers regularly;
• Disease and pest control. Most of all, Muscari suffers from mosaic, which is caused by the onion yellow dwarf virus. These viruses are transmitted by aphids, and once they enter the bulb, they remain there. There is no cure for this disease. It is necessary to immediately deal with aphids as soon as they appear on the plant. To do this, dilute 2 teaspoons of liquid soap in two glasses of water. This solution should be sprayed on the plant. There is another disease called spider mites. It needs to be fought with drugs, such as: Vertimek, Fitoverm. Do everything exactly according to the instructions on the package.

Muscari after flowering

As soon as the muscari fade, it is necessary to carefully remove the flower stalks and feed the plants with potassium-phosphorus fertilizer. This will help the bulbs to easily endure frost. Watering should be gradually reduced. Toward the end of September, the leaves will begin to turn yellow and wither. As soon as this process is completed, it is necessary to stop watering the plants. In the fall, it is worth digging and transplanting those muscari that have already reached the age of five. If they are still young, you just need to remove the yellow leaves. Be sure to young plants should be mulched for the winter with peat.

bulb storage

Although muscari can grow and delight gardeners for ten years in one place, many summer residents dig up bulbs and store them indoors. To do this, you must follow some rules:

• You can dig up muscari bulbs only when the leaves of the plant begin to dry;
• Then the bulbs must be dried for 2-3 days, put in peat or in wet, clean sand;
• Once a week, it is worth inspecting the bulbs and removing rotten and damaged ones;
• The temperature in the room where the bulbs are stored should be 17 degrees, and the humidity should be 70%.

Muscari does not make sense to store until spring, it is best to plant this flower in the fall, at a time when the site is being digged. During this period, it is possible to separate the children from the mother bulb, followed by seating.