Muscari Bling Bling

Muscari azureum 'Bling Bling' is a hybrid variety that stands out for its exceptionally shiny flowers, as if coated with a layer of varnish. In March, it develops dense spikes of dark blue bells subtly edged with white, on a medium green linear, upright to semi-upright foliage. This long-flowering little gem surprises with its shiny florets, as if polished. A low-maintenance bulb that rests in summer, indifferent to heat.

Derived from Muscari armeniacum, ''Bling Bling' is a 2013 hybrid belonging to the asparagus family. This small bulb produces a basal rosette of very narrow, gutter-shaped, medium-green leaves. Each rosette produces 3 to 5 flower stalks on a mature and well-developed bulb. The 15 to 20 cm tall flower stalks bear 20 to 40 small urn-shaped flowers, initially of a perfectly uniform intense dark blue, tightly packed in a compact cluster 10 cm tall. The white ring encircling the "neck" of each small flower appears late. The fertile flowers located towards the top of the cluster are slightly lighter blue. After pollination by insects, triangular fruits form, containing numerous round, black seeds that germinate very easily.

Muscari is a small, undemanding plant, but one that should not be remembered for its delightful range of soft or vibrant colours. 'Bling Bling' falls on the side of vibrant flowering, with its intense blue. Its great resistance to cold, drought, and shade allows it to be used in many situations: in woodlands, at the base of trees, as a border to highlight the design of a pathway, in a rockery with heathers for example, or in Japanese-style gardens. It also grows very well in pots, where one can admire up close the varnished appearance of its little bells. It is so accommodating that it will forgive watering neglect and thrive in neglected or weekend gardens. Its blue flowers are very beautiful next to the yellow trumpets of daffodils and forget-me-nots, the fragrant clusters of early blue hyacinths (Blue Pearl, Delft Blue), or the pink and red cups of triumph tulips. Also, place muscari in clumps in a lawn. It multiplies rapidly in good, rich, and well-draining soil.