Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Jan Bos’

Jan Bos produces a single central spike or raceme with multitudes of star-shaped flowers. Numerous blooms of bright reddish-pinks saturate the raceme in both beauty and fragrance. Sparse leaves are light green, oblong and narrow with slightly inwardly curling edges. Specially prepared with earlier colder temperatures in order to induce earlier indoor blooming.

Prepared for early blooming, specially treated bulbs of Jan Bos may start to bloom in December and will bring abundant spring colours and scents to the home. Plant in a container or pot and provide a sunny spot in the home for the best chances for forced early blooming. Excellent as a cut flower for use in a vase or flower arrangement.

Hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis) are composed of clusters of small, bell shaped flowers with curved petals and are often very fragrant. Leaves are long, narrow and a dark green colour. Hyacinth blooms form in a variety of colours, from vibrant pinks to deep blues. Flowers on Hyacinths grow on racemes of dense clusters on single stalks.

Hyacinths do well in containers or pots and can be forced to bloom early indoors. Hyacinths are known for being a spring flower and March 7th is World Hyacinth Day. Plants originate from the eastern Mediterranean and are generally easy to care for, but colours and bloom quality may diminish after several seasons.

Plant Hyacinths in fertile, well-drained soils that are in full sun to partial shade. In areas where there are colder winters, make sure to cover the bulbs with mulch to protect from severe temperatures. Hyacinths should be planted in the autumn season.

After the flowering season, the Hyacinth flower stalk can be removed, but leave the green foliage to gather energy and store in the bulb for the following season. Hyacinth bulbs are generally planted at a depth of about three times the diameter of the bulb, for most plants this is usually around 15-20cm. Plant Hyacinth bulbs 15cm apart. Depending on the variety, a Hyacinth can grow to 15-30cm in height and the bloom stalks may need to be staked.

Maintaining moisture for the plan is important, even after planting the bulbs in the autumn, so make sure to continue watering regularly during drier periods before the onset of colder winter weather.