Species: Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis)
Family: Asparagus and allies (ASPARAGACEAE)
Category: Flowering Plants
Location: W
A. Flowering Plants
More extensive information on flowering plants can be found in a separate blog post.
B. Asparagus and allies (ASPARAGACEAE)
This is a huge, diverse family that includes a number of familiar garden bulb cultivars.
C. Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis)
Hyacinths are bulbous, spring-blooming perennials that used to be classed as members of the Lilly family. They have been cultivated for their colour variations, of which just a few can be found in the Cemetery, no doubt planted on individual graves.
Homer tells of a flower that sprang from the blood of a youth of this name who had been killed by the god Zephyr. More recently, T.S. Eliot wrote in the opening section of his poem The Waste Land of a 'hyacinth girl' and a 'Hyacinth garden'.
The blubs of hyacinths contain oxalic acid and are poisonous, capable of causing skin irritation, so wear gloves when handling them.
Images
Hyacinth
Hyacinths have been cultivated for their colour variations, of which just a few can be found in the Cemetery, no doubt planted on individual graves. This coral-coloured one is near the west wall.
