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Muscari comosum

Tassel Hyacinth · Tassel Grape Hyacinth · Tufted Grape Hyacinth

Family AsparagaceaeGenus Muscari

A spike with a tuft of bright violet sterile flowers on top, brown-purple fertile bells below, and pale yellow-brown ones lower still.
FlowerHans HillewaertCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
bulbous geophytePlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Flower
Olive-brownFlora of North America
Native range
Albania, Algeria, Austria, Baleares, Bulgaria, Canary Is. and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; Flora of North America — Flora of North America Editorial Committee; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • The tassel hyacinth's bulbs are eaten as a delicacy in Italy and Greece; in Apulia and Basilicata they are grown and called lampascioni. Wikipedia: Muscari comosum

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around November 17, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 49 days.

100% germination in 35–49 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Leopoldia p. 44Public domain
Show the original text
Leopoldia (Liliaceae). L. comosa alba germ. 70D-40(3/3 in 5-7 w) and 70L-40(50% in 3rd w)-70D-40. A sample of L. comosa was dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Leopoldia p. 44. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 15, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

  4. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

Steps after step 2 run on after germination.

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 21 days.

50% germination in 21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Leopoldia p. 44Public domain
Show the original text
Leopoldia (Liliaceae). L. comosa alba germ. 70D-40(3/3 in 5-7 w) and 70L-40(50% in 3rd w)-70D-40. A sample of L. comosa was dead.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Leopoldia p. 44. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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