Muscari planting and care in the open field. Muscari flower will create a bright spring mood in the garden. When to transplant muscari in the fall

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.

Muscari (lat. Muscari), or viper bow, or mouse hyacinth- This is a genus of bulbous perennial plants of the Asparagaceae family (Asparagaceae), although earlier it was assigned to the Hyacinth or Lily family. It has about 60 species, naturally growing among shrubs, on forest edges and on the slopes of the mountains of Central and Southern Europe, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, the Crimea and the Mediterranean. Muscari flowers are one of the earliest spring flowers, often grown as cut flowers. Muscari plant has a pleasant and rather strong aroma. Muscari garden flowers, miniature and graceful, are the decoration of lawns, they are used in discounts and rock gardens, as well as border plants.

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Planting and caring for Muscari

• Landing: autumn, in October.
• Bloom: Spring.
• Lighting: bright sunlight, partial shade.
• The soil: any.
• Watering: if the winter was snowy or the spring was wet, then watering is not needed at all.
• Top dressing: when digging the site, humus or compost is added at the rate of 5 kg per m².
• Reproduction: self-sowing and vegetative: separating the children from the mother bulb and planting them in the ground.
• Pests: aphids, spider mites.
• Diseases: onion yellow dwarf and cucumber mosaic viruses.

Read more about growing muscari below.

Muscari flowers - description

Muscari bulbs are ovoid, with light outer scales, 1.5-3.5 cm long and up to 2 cm in diameter. Leaves - basal, linear, up to 17 cm long and up to six pieces - appear in spring, but may appear again in autumn . Muscari grow up to 30 cm in height. Their peduncle is leafless, the flowers have cylindrical, barrel-shaped or tubular perianths, consisting of six fused petals, bent along the edge. Color - from white to dark blue, length - about 0.5 cm and the same in diameter. The flowers are collected in dense inflorescences, racemose or apical, up to 8 cm long. The fruit is a winged, three-celled box, spherical or heart-shaped, with small wrinkled black seeds, the germination of which lasts only for a year. This genus has two significant advantages: almost all types are decorative and, in addition, muscari are completely unpretentious.

Growing muscari in the garden

Muscari is very popular in floriculture. They look great both in rock gardens and in decorative garden vases, and undersized varieties are successfully used for borders. Muscari are very beautiful in multi-tiered flower beds, in composition with other spring flowers: against the background of densely growing lilac-blue muscari, islands of taller early-flowering tulips or daffodils look very impressive. The combination of blue muscari with orange hazel grouse is magnificent.

In the photo: Pink Muscari

Like all early spring flowers, muscari bloom when there are no leaves on the trees and shrubs yet, so they will have enough light in any case. Muscari grows in one place for several years, so plant them next to perennials, which you also will not replant every year. The soil is best loose, fertile and permeable. It is desirable that the site be on a hill and be protected from strong winds.

Planting Muscari

When to plant Muscari

Muscari is best planted in autumn, until the end of October. They are planted in groups as soon as the muscari bulbs are dug out, which have been growing in one place for five years or more. If you buy them in a store, carefully inspect the shoots: they must be healthy. Sometimes in April, nurseries sell seedlings of already flowering muscari in boxes, and the sellers claim that they can be planted immediately in the ground. Try it.

How to plant muscari

Before planting, inspect the bulbs and remove darkened and damaged ones. Disinfect the bulbs for prevention: first, pickle them for half an hour in a two percent solution of Karbofos, then the same amount in a one percent solution of potassium permanganate. The day before planting the muscari, water the prepared wells well, soaking through the entire layer of soil. Before planting, add river sand to each hole for drainage. If the bulbs are large, they are immersed in the ground by 7 cm, and the distance between them is 5-10 cm. Small bulbs are deepened by 3 cm, and the gap between the bulbs is 2-3 cm.

How to care for muscari in the garden

Caring for Muscari is not difficult: this is a training plant for a beginner grower. AT watering muscari need only at the very beginning of the growing season, but, as a rule, at this time the soil is still wet after the snow melts or spring rains. And the dormant period does not require soil moisture. If there was no snow in winter, and the spring turned out to be dry, then there is a need for regular watering.

In the photo: Dense plantings of muscari

If the soil on the site is not too fertile, this can be corrected by fertilizing with organic fertilizers. Humus or compost can be used to fertilize the soil in the fall when digging: 5 kilograms of fertilizer are consumed per square meter. Subject to the regularity of such autumn digging with organic matter, muscari can grow in one area for up to ten years. But then you have to plant them anyway.

Muscari flowering

Muscari blooms for a little longer than three weeks, and does not require special care at this time, just loosen the soil slightly after watering, being careful not to damage the bulb, remove weeds and remove wilted flowers if they spoil the look of your flower bed. If over the years the quality of the flowers has deteriorated, then it is time to transplant the muscari.

We grow hyacinths in the garden - do not confuse these flowers

Muscari transplant

Muscari vegetative propagation by separating the babies from the mother bulb is carried out, as a rule, during the autumn digging, somewhere from mid to late October. When to transplant muscari, we already wrote - after 5-6 years of growth in one area, although when it is really time to dig up muscari, the look of your flower bed will tell you. Muscari bulbs are removed from the ground, the children are separated from the mother bulb (there can be many, up to 30 pieces) and seated in the way that has already been written about above.

Muscari breeding

In addition to the vegetative method, muscari reproduce well by self-sowing, therefore, in order to prevent uncontrolled growth of the site, it is necessary to cut off the flower stalks after flowering, leaving only a few for the seeds to ripen. The collected ripe seeds, which can only sprout during the year, are sown in the ground in the fall to a depth of 1-2 cm. Next spring, thin strings of seedlings will let you know that the process of bulb formation has begun. Such a plant will bloom in 2-3 years.

In the photo: Blue Muscari

Muscari pests and diseases

Most often, muscari suffer from mosaic, which is caused by the onion yellow dwarf virus. Symptoms: green mosaic on the leaves, shortened flower arrow, narrowing of the leaves and inhibition of the growth of the diseased specimen. Sometimes the plant becomes infected with a common cucumber mosaic, which is expressed in pale green strokes and spots on deformed leaves. These viruses are transmitted by aphids and, once in the bulb, are stored in it. Therefore, diseased specimens must be dug up and burned so that the infection does not spread to other plants.

There is no cure for viral diseases yet, so fight the peddler - aphids, destroy it as soon as it appears on the plants. The method is simple and has long been known: dilute 2 teaspoons of liquid soap (Gala, Fairy) in two glasses of water and spray the plant with a solution.

Sometimes Muscari gets in trouble with the spider mite. In the fight against it, use drugs of the avermectin group (Vertimek, Aktofit, Fitoverm) strictly according to the instructions at an air temperature of 18 ºC.

Muscari after flowering

Many flower growers believe that you don’t need to take care of Muscari at all: they don’t get sick, they reproduce themselves, and they are quite winter-hardy. But experience teaches that a good result always requires effort. As soon as the muscari fade, you need to carefully remove the flower stalks and feed them with liquid potassium-phosphorus fertilizer, which will help the bulbs to winter well. Gradually reduce watering until the leaves of the plant turn yellow and wither, and once this process is complete, do not water the plant again.

How best to plant daffodils - in detail

Autumn is the time for digging the site and transplanting muscari that have reached the age of five. If your muscari is still too young to be divided and transplanted, simply remove the yellowed leaves from the area. Young plantings of muscari, especially if they grow on it next to other bulbs, must be mulched with peat for the winter.

In the photo: Pink Muscari

Storing muscari bulbs

Muscari are perennial plants, moreover, they can grow in one place for up to ten years in a row. But if for some reason you decide to dig up the bulbs and store them indoors, then remember the following rules:

• it is necessary to dig up the bulbs only when the leaves of the plants begin to dry;
• dug out bulbs need to be dried for several days, then put in peat or wet clean sand;
• once a week, inspect and feel the bulbs and immediately remove rotten, damaged or soft ones;
• humidity in the storage is preferably 70%, temperature - 17 ºC.

But let us recall again: it is best to plant muscari in the fall, during the digging of the site, at the same time it is convenient to separate the children from the mother bulbs with subsequent seating, so it makes no sense to store the muscari bulbs indoors until spring.

Types and varieties of Muscari

Among the species, winter-hardy Armenian Muscari, or Colchis, is most often cultivated, which blooms in late spring for three weeks. It is he who is called "mouse hyacinth". The upper flowers in its inflorescences are sterile and have a lighter shade than the lower ones, dark blue with a white border. Muscari Armenian exudes a pleasant aroma. The most popular varieties are:

• muscari terry blue spike- exceptionally beautiful due to the many-flowered (up to 170 flowers in a cluster-shaped inflorescence), unpretentious, can be used for cutting.
• Christmas Pearl- with very beautiful purple flowers;
• Fantasy Creation- very beautiful due to the combination of blue and blue-green hues.

In the photo: Armenian Muscari (Muscari armeniacum)

Muscari grape species is found in the Alpine belt of Southern and Central Europe, is one of the most sought after, in culture since 1576. The flowers of the grape-shaped are smaller than those of the Armenian. In addition to varieties of the usual blue hue, there are two garden varieties:

• var. album- Muscari white, clusters, as if from pearls;
• var. carneum- a variety of pink.

In the photo: Muscari grape-shaped (Muscari botryoides)

Muscari broadleaf (Muscari latifolium)

It is distinguished by wide, like a tulip, leaves and dense cylindrical inflorescences of dark blue color, as well as the fact that one bulb can produce several peduncles.

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 become creamy at the end of flowering.

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 seed

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.

Everyone loves spring in their own way ... for its tenderness, warm air, gentle sunbeams, the first and very modest flowers. Muscari is one of the first ready to give people their beauty and charm. How much joy they bring to us, emerging from the cold ground in early spring, replacing the primroses. White, sky blue, dark blue, pink bell-shaped flowers, forming a small pyramid, like porcelain, tightly pressed against each other. This is what funny and touching Muscari look like.

Muscari - because it has an alluring, strong aroma of musk. And the mouse hyacinth is for its miniature size, as if for mice, and a close relationship with the real hyacinth. Viper onion - for an onion that looks like a real onion and its poisonousness. Near the clumps of these flowers, you can often meet with a whole family of vipers, they bask in warm glades, where muscari often grow.

Birds avoid pecking on viper onions - it is poisonous to them. Its English name means grape hyacinth - for the inflorescences, in appearance resembling a bunch of grapes. The French call Muscari earthen lilac. The variety of affectionate names hints at the fact that muscari viper onions have long been loved by many peoples from different countries.

On the territory of Europe, Muscari came by chance back in the 17th century. In ancient times, off the coast of the Netherlands, during a storm, a merchant ship crashed against the reefs, transporting outlandish goods from warm countries. The ship sank, and the bulbs were washed ashore by the waves and they sprouted. Thus, the inhabitants of Europe learned about the unusual flowers that can be grown from a tiny onion.

These primroses look extraordinarily beautiful in the awakening garden, repeating the curves of the paths with cheerful streams. Muscari curtains, like bouquets of small ones on long branches, as if particles of the sky, appear on flower beds here and there. Arrangers use them with pleasure to compose their compositions.

Muscari is a genus of perennial bulbous plants belonging to the Asparagus family, which includes 44 species. Some are cultivated as ornamentals, and there are many varieties of muscari with a variety of flower colors. Their bulbs are small, ovoid, up to 2 cm in diameter.

The plant is an ephemeroid, for more than half of the year it is in a dormant state, only waking up for a short time to decorate the world around it. In the bulb, covered with light outer scales, nutrients accumulate during growth, which it uses starting flowering in early spring. In spring, narrow linear leaves come out, collected in a basal rosette and low peduncles. Some species have leaves that appear in autumn and remain overwinter under the snow.

Muscari yellow Golden Fragrance Muscari macrocarpum ‘Golden Fragrance’ photo

Flowers with a barrel-shaped, cylindrical or tubular perianth, consisting of 6 fused petals, are collected in a racemose inflorescence with a delicate stimulating aroma. 6 stamens are attached to the perianth in two rows, the fruit is a three-celled box with wrinkled, dark seeds, which are used for seed propagation within a year after collection. Distributed throughout Europe, North Africa, Western Asia, the Mediterranean. Some climb high into the mountains.

Growing conditions How to plant and care for muscari

Muscari reproduce very quickly, forming luxurious floral carpets. During the season, one mother bulb forms a whole nest. One rule for all garden species should be observed - they do not tolerate stagnant meltwater, lowlands. Otherwise, muscari grow without problems in any area. The attitude to the sun's rays is not of great importance, since the period of their active vegetation falls at a time when the rest of the green brothers in the neighborhood are just about to wake up from hibernation and in no way interfere with our upstarts.

• When planting, you should rely on the fact that the mouse hyacinth will grow without a transplant for several years in one place, and it is good to fill the soil with organic matter and compost.
• Sprinkle some sand at the bottom of the planting holes.
• Bulbs are buried to a height equal to three of its diameters.
• Watering is not relevant for viper onions - there is enough moisture in the ground after the snow melts.
• If the plants have not been transplanted for several years, they should be fed with complex fertilizer during the flowering period, after carefully moistening the soil.

Why don't Muscari bloom?

If there is a deterioration in flowering or its complete cessation- the plant only releases leaves, this is an impetus to the fact that it is time to transplant and divide the curtain.

It should be borne in mind that the place in muscari may turn out to be empty already at the beginning of summer, it can be occupied by annual representatives of the natural kingdom or combined plantings with other perennials that bloom much later.

Do I need to dig up Muscari? How mouse hyacinth hibernates

Winter-hardy do not require special treatment in preparation for wintering. If you are not sure that the planted variety is winter-hardy, it is enough to cover the planting site with spruce branches, fallen leaves or any covering material. There is no need to dig up viper onions, unless you are going to do flower forcing at home.

Mouse hyacinth at home

Muscari flowers planting and care at home photo Muscari at home in a pot

Muscari is actively used for distillation. Only healthy, largest bulbs are suitable for this. They are dug up after the leaves disappear from the surface of the earth, cleaned of soil residues, sorted out, dried at room temperature and stored until September. Purchased bulbs can not be processed - they are already ready for planting.

• The main condition for growing mouse hyacinth on windowsills is the correct temperature regime.
• First, they are stored in dry sawdust or wrapped in paper or cotton wool.
• 3-4 months muscari are kept at low temperatures.
• 35 days kept in cool conditions with a temperature of 9 degrees, then the temperature is reduced to 5 degrees.
• Two weeks before the end of the cold content, dense planting is placed in pots with an ordinary earthen substrate, deepening the bulbs by 2 cm, so that the top of the head sees the light.
• After the allotted time, the pots are transferred to a warm, bright windowsill.
• The soil is moderately watered. Flowering will come in 15 days- the lower the temperature in the room where the muscari are located, the longer the flowering will continue.
• After forcing, the plants can be buried in the garden.

When to transplant Muscari? Reproduction by children

Muscari is very simple. Usually this operation is combined with a transplant. First of all, you should mark with pegs the place from where you will transplant the plants. Since by the time of transplantation there will be no traces left of them on the ground, the plants are in hibernation. When to seat Muscari? Been doing it since the middle of summer so that the bulbs have time to take root before wintering.

• Carefully dig a clod of earth with a shovel in the noticed place and break it, separating the onions. They are carefully sorted out, removing the sick and dry.
• The bulbs are sorted by size, large ones can be left for forcing, the smaller the bulb, the closer they are placed from each other.
• Very small ones can be put next to several pieces.
• Planting muscari looks more attractive if the plants are arranged in groups. To do this, you can make grooves in the shape of a circle, or lay out the bulb in flocks, for example, 3 pieces side by side, 10 cm more 3, etc.

Planted in prepared soil, to which humus is added. Grooves are made, on the bottom of which sand is poured with a layer of 2 cm and spilled with water. Bulbs are laid out along the groove, falling asleep on top with compost. The more nutritious the soil at the planting site, the faster the muscari will grow and the flowering will be more colorful.

Muscari planting in spring

Sometimes you have to transplant muscari at the wrong time - during flowering, in the spring. They sometimes actively grow and interfere with other cultures. A flock of muscari is carefully dug up with a shovel and transferred to a more convenient place, which is prepared in advance by applying organic fertilizers. The hole is made according to the size of an earthen coma with muscari, which is carefully transferred directly to the shovel, sprinkled with soil around the circumference. After that, the plants are thoroughly watered. Usually, with this method of transplanting, muscari will bloom again next spring without problems.

How to plant muscari in the spring, the video will tell:

With all unplanned transplants, so that the plants suffer less, it is better to transplant them in the evening, watering them abundantly. if possible, in the first week it is better to shade the landing.

Growing muscari from seeds

Most Muscari species reproduce by self-seeding. With cultural content, this type of reproduction is rarely used - flowering will occur only after 4 years.

• For you can use your own seed.
• The seeds are allowed to ripen and in the fall, after harvest, they are sown in the garden.
• With the seedling method, stratification is used (the seeds are kept in the refrigerator for about 3-4 months before planting, be sure to moisten and wrap in a wet cloth, placing it in a bag). A good time to start stratification is October. In February, carefully plant the seeds in containers.
• Seeds are planted to a depth of 1 cm.
• Seedling care requires careful attention - weeds, soil crust, poor soil are unacceptable. All this negatively affects their development.
• Water moderately to prevent root rot.
• At the end of March, hardening is carried out, leaving seedlings on the street to get used to normal conditions. In early to mid-April, when the land is ripe, the seedlings are planted in a permanent place.

Diseases and pests

Sometimes they can be affected by diseases and pests. Aphids are familiar to all gardeners. The primary source of aphids are garden ants, which carry it around the site and create entire colonies of these pests. Fighting ants is the key to the absence of aphids. A soapy solution is used to control aphids. It forms adheres to plants, forming a protective film that prevents the spread of aphids.

Soap solution can be used as a prophylactic against any pests. To do this, rub a piece of laundry soap on a fine grater, dry it, pour the resulting powder into a container and use it as needed. It is added to water in 1 tbsp. spoon on a bucket, carefully stir and irrigate any plants from a watering can after watering. For greater effect, you can use tar soap or add birch tar to the composition. If you use this tool constantly, pests will forget the way to your site.

The spider mite leaves a thin web of cobwebs on the leaves. An insecticide is used to control it.

Field mice love to eat mouse hyacinth bulbs. To scare away, you can plant strong-smelling or thorny plants nearby.

Aphids and spider mites can carry diseases. The most dangerous diseases are mosaic or onion yellow dwarf virus. The leaves of such plants turn yellow without time, have an oppressed appearance, they have whitish stripes and specks. Affected flowers are not treatable. They are dug up and destroyed so that the disease does not spread further.

Application

Muscari is not used in official medicine. They have many useful properties, but because of their toxicity, they are used by folk medicine only externally. In some Asian countries, they are used as a wound healing, analgesic, rejuvenating agent. Essential oil is used in cosmetology as an antiseptic, bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, disinfectant. Effective as an aphrodisiac.

With the advent of spring, these tiny plants fill our gardens and plots, delighting with graceful inflorescences, repeating the azure of the spring sky. Muscari are great in mass plantings in flower beds. Unusually combined with flowering shrubs in mixborders. They should be planted under large trees to revive tree circles. With their blue color they create a wonderful addition to daffodils, tulips, primroses, irises in miniature flower arrangements.

Muscari look elegant and bright in vases. By the New Year holidays they are used for distillation. Blue tassels of earthy lilac fit perfectly between large plants, they are very effective in multi-tiered compositions. Many consider muscari a shabby plant that does not deserve any attention. But there are a great many such plants in our gardens, and with good care they serve as a better decoration than many newfangled flowers that still need to be accustomed to our conditions. And Muscari bloom and delight the eye every spring, without causing any problems to their owners.

Types and varieties of muscari with photos and descriptions

Muscari Armenian Muscari armeniacum

It grows on the plains of Transcaucasia and Turkey. Bulb 2.5 cm in diameter produces linear leaves, narrowed at the top. Peduncle 20 cm long bears many-flowered, almost spherical inflorescence with several barren flowers at the top. Perianth with a constriction at the throat is bright blue with white teeth. The upper sterile flowers are lighter. Blooms in spring, overwinters without foliage, winter-hardy without shelter. Most common among amateur flower growers. Breeders have been working for several centuries to create many varieties with different flower shapes and colors - their work has been crowned with success.

Variety Blue Spike- bred in Holland at the end of the last century. Cluster-shaped inflorescences contain 150 - 180 blue fragrant flowers. Blooms two weeks later than usual, does not bear fruit. When emerging from the ground, it looks like a dark bump. Propagated by daughter bulbs. An unusually beautiful and unpretentious plant, used both for decorative decoration of gardens and for composing cut flower arrangements. If the weather is cool, then you can enjoy the flowering of terry bouquets for about three weeks. Suitable for . Winters great.

Variety Cantab- a miniature form with bright blue flowers. A wintering variety that is very popular with flower growers.

Grade Christmas Pearl, Christmas pearl- garden mouse hyacinth with dark purple flowers. An amazing fresh musky scent accompanies long flowering.

Armenicum muscari fantasy creation muscari fantasy creation photo in the flowerbed

Sort Fantasy Creation- differs in the segmented color of the perianth, smoothly changing from green to blue. Flowering continues for a long time. Flowers are double, fragrant.

Sort Dark Eyes- amazingly dark, cornflower blue color with white patches. Looks incomparably mixed with lighter types.

Muscari Oshe or Tubergena Muscari aucheri = Muscari tubergenianum

It grows in the northwest of Iran. Blue peduncles with a pale jagged edge are collected in inflorescences up to 18 cm high. Winters without shelter. Poorly tolerates stagnant melt water. The 'Tubergenianum' variety has crescent-shaped leaves and lighter buds at the top.

Muscari botryoides Muscari botryoides

Muscari flowers perennial variety Muscari botryoides ‘Album’ photo

Known since 1576. Small sky-blue, blue-violet or white flowers are collected in a large inflorescence with a delicate aroma. On loose, rich soils it develops into lush bushes. The Album variation resembles a scattering of pearls, the Korneum is a pink cloud swaying on a stem.

Muscari crested Muscari comosum

The original from Southern Europe, North Africa, is considered weedy in places of growth. The arrow of the peduncle appears in June from a rosette with 3-4 belt-like leaves. The flowers are collected in a loose brush with a tuft, which is a bunch of sterile bright purple bells on long pedicels. Fruiting pitcher-shaped flowers are light brown with a creamy edging. The height of the plant at full flowering is about 70 cm.

This type of muscari looks great on lawns, in flower beds with perennial flowers, against the backdrop of a lawn. The variety ‘Plumozum’ is popular, which is distinguished by purple inflorescences on highly branched stems.

Muscari broadleaf Muscari latifolium

An inhabitant of the forest edges of Asia Minor. An oval bulb with lanceolate leaves and a peduncle about 22 cm long. A multi-flowered inflorescence with purple flowers at the bottom and blue at the top of a dense cluster. This heat-loving species blooms in early May. The leaves of this instance are similar to tulips.

Muscari longiflorum Muscari dolichanthum

It blooms in late April with azure flowers. The ovoid bulb bears 4-6 ribbon-like leaves and a flower arrow 14-16 cm high. Perianth with white cylindrical teeth. Originally from the mountain belt of Western Transcaucasia.

A native of the lowlands of the Black Sea and Iran. It blooms in April with an inflorescence consisting of 40 ultramarine flowers edged with whitish teeth.

Muscari large-fruited Muscari macrocarpum

The species is distinguished by rather large flowers. There are blue, yellow, brown varieties. He comes from Greece and Western Turkey. In our latitude, it is recommended for growing in flowerpots, brought into the dwelling for the winter.

Muscari pale Muscari paiitns

The most elegant and miniature muskarik comes from the subalpine meadows of the Caucasus. A pale blue perianth with white teeth adorns the plant. It winters well even in the northwestern territories of our country. In culture, the white-flowered variety ‘White-rose Beautu’ with white-pink flowers is known. In Latvia, the variety ‘Sky Blue’ has been bred with a sky-blue bottom and a white top of the inflorescence.

Muscari racemose or unnoticed Muscari Rasemosum = Muscari neglectum

Muscari blue primroses cultivation and care When to plant Viper onions unnoticed photo

It differs little from the rest of its brethren, except that its flowers are slightly larger and tightly pressed to the peduncle. Propagated by self-sowing and children.

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