Which bulb is this?

[Oron Peri]

Wim,

It is probably Scilla italica, but to give 100% ID you need to tell the height of the inflorescence, size of flower and the most important the number of bracts at the base of the flower since it isn't clear from the photo...

[Maggi Young]

 It is easily seen with the queries here and in the Scilla and Muscari pages that the RHS had the right idea when they called their trial of such plants in 2005 their "Trial of Hyacinthaceae – little blue bulbs"
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/planttrials/TrialReports/Hyacinthaceae%20hardy%202003.pdf
https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/PDFs/Plant-trials-and-awards/Plant-bulletins/hyacinthaceae


"In addition to the desire to
raise the profile of this interesting group
of ‘little blue bulbs’, they considered that
a comparative trial might shed light on
some of the problems associated with the
identification and naming of certain
species and forms of hardy
Hyacinthaceae."   

 

[WimB]

Oron,

since I'm not at home for the moment I can't measure the flowers. I'll post it on Friday.

Thanks

Wim

[Oron Peri]

Thanks Maggi, now I'm confused regarding the accepted name...Scilla italica or Hyacinthoides italica

[Maggi Young]

Thanks Maggi, now I'm confused regarding the accepted name...Scilla italica or Hyacinthoides italica

 Diane Clement may see this and be able to advise...... for my part, I'm just pleased I can tell they are blue! 

[mark smyth]

Tiggr and Oron I had a look today and there are two bracts. One is small and one is large. Does this make it Hyacinthoides italica?

It's very congested and really needs divided. When can I do it?

[WimB]

Oops Maggi,

didn't see that link there. I'll use the description there to see if it is Hyacinthoides/Scilla/Endymion italica. Thanks for the link. If it is that species I'll label it "?? italica"  

[mark smyth]

I sacrificed two flowering stems for this ID question I had another look at the plants and I see that the bracts are much easily seen when the flowers are fully developed and past their best. Some have three bracts.

[Oron Peri]

Mark

It is H. italica,  you can see clearly the two bracts.

Best time to divide it would be probably late summer [August], before it starts its new growing season.

Great Photo, thanks

[Gunilla]

Hyacinthoides italica is a common spring flower in old gardens here. The bulbs multiply very fast and are almost weedy.   A beautiful weed though, with a sweet scent.   Blooms late april here after the early bulbs.

[Diane Clement]

Thanks Maggi, now I'm confused regarding the accepted name...Scilla italica or Hyacinthoides italica

Diane Clement may see this and be able to advise...... for my part, I'm just pleased I can tell they are blue! 

She did see, and will try.  According to Kew and the Plantfinder, it's Hyacinthoides italica (for the time being   )
(and also according to Kew, in the family Asparagaceae - will we ever get used to that  )

[Maggi Young]

She did see, and will try.  According to Kew and the Plantfinder, it's Hyacinthoides italica (for the time being   )
(and also according to Kew, in the family Asparagaceae - will we ever get used to that  )

You little Star, you! 


I'm not able to cope with  the change to Asparagaceae ...... I won't be cooking any hyacinths any time soon

[mark smyth]

The flower heads on mine have never been as dense as your Gunilla!

[Oron Peri]

Thank you Diane,

Probably by the time we will get used to the new name it will be changed to another one....

[Gunilla]

Mark, they seem to like the clay soil we have.  When we moved to this place 27 years ago the garden was completely overrun with weeds but Hyacinthoides italica and H. hispanica flowered everywhere.