Grape Hyacinth - Muscari Early Bird - ORG

The name sounds simple, but the promise is great: the Muscari Early Bird is the first to flower. Sometimes as early as February, it pokes its little head above the ground. Compact, pale blue and unexpectedly early. At that time, hardly any other flowers are in bloom, making it a precious first source of nectar for bees just becoming active after winter. She couldn’t have had a more fitting name.

Earlier than the common Muscari

The Early Bird is a selected cultivar of Muscari armeniacum, the same species that appears in such abundance in gardens come April. But the Early Bird gets there first; thanks to selective breeding, it sometimes flowers two to four weeks earlier than its common cousin. This makes it unique in early spring and particularly valuable for a garden that wants to be in bloom as early as February. The pale blue, cone-shaped flowers sit on sturdy stems about 20 centimetres tall, just like the common Muscari, but earlier.

Combining and planting

The Early Bird is the perfect complement to crocuses and early daffodils. It flowers at the same time and enhances the early spring display with an extra splash of blue. Combine it with Galanthus ‘Polar Bear’ or early crocuses for a continuous flowering period from January to April. Plant the bulbs in autumn at a depth of 8–10 cm, in groups of at least ten for the best effect.

Naturalisation

Like other Muscari, the Early Bird naturalises easily — it returns every year and slowly spreads via seed and bulbils. Allow the foliage to die back naturally after flowering before removing it. It thrives best in full sun or partial shade, in well-drained soil. Organically grown, certified NL-BIO-01.