Muscari armeniacum Fantasy Creation

Muscari armeniacum Fantasy Creation is a recent variety, unique with its large swollen spikes of double florets in changing tones, reminiscent of broccoli. Starting in a pretty blue, the florets gradually turn to violet, then green, and finally almost yellow. The nectar-rich inflorescence does not wither and rarely produces seeds, which is an advantage in floral compositions. This strange and seductive flowering emerges from a tuft of grassy foliage in early spring. Muscari is a small bulb that rests in summer, indifferent to heat and drought. Adorable with spring bulbs in yellow, pink or white flowers.

Directly derived from Muscari armeniacum 'Blue Spike', from which it is a seed, 'Fantasy Creation' is even more spectacular than its parent. This selection belongs, like all muscaris, to the asparagus family. Wild Muscari armeniacum is native to the eastern Mediterranean, where it grows in woods and meadows. This small bulbous plant produces a basal rosette of long, very narrow, gutter-shaped, light and vivid green leaves at the end of winter. Each rosette sends out 1 to 3 flowering stems from a mature and well-developed bulb, generally in late March or early April. The flowering stems are 12-15 cm (5-6in) tall and bear a multitude of small double urn-shaped flowers, opening into stars, tightly packed in a compact and branched cluster with a widely pyramidal shape. Each flower changes colour from the bottom to the top of the cluster. The foliage dries up and disappears some time after flowering.

Muscari Fantasy Creation is an unusual, versatile and useful plant in a garden or for houses without gardens. Its high resistance to cold, summer drought, and even shade in hot climates allows it to be used in many situations: in the undergrowth, at the base of trees, as a border to highlight the design of a pathway, in rock gardens or in Japanese-style gardens. It also grows very well in pots, on a window or balcony. It is so accommodating that it forgives if you forget to water it and thrives in neglected or weekend gardens. Its blue to violet flowers are very beautiful next to the yellow trumpets of daffodils, forget-me-nots, the fragrant clusters of early blue hyacinths (Blue Pearl, Delft Blue), or the pink and red cups of triumph tulips.