Как многочисленны дела Твои, Господи! Все соделал Ты премудро; земля полна произведений Твоих.
Псалтирь 104:24

O Lord, how manifold are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all.
The earth is full of Your possessions—
Psalm 104:24

Herbarium Notes

Muscari armeniacum
Armenian grape hyacinth
15 apr 2024
Presses well. Interesting notes read from several sites, most enjoyable the following from Scotland’s Garden Scheme:

Previously in the plant family Liliacea, as a result of recent DNA research the genus Muscari has now been placed within Asparagaceae; which includes other horticultural gems such as Agave, Asparagus, Chlorophytum, Dracaena, Hyacinthus, Ornithogalum and Scilla.

Being reliable, non-demanding, colourful and tough, they basically just get on with life; it is this magical quality that for me makes them all the more valuable and deserving of my appreciation.

The generic name is derived from the Greek word moschos or musk, which is appropriate as some species have a distinct musky fragrance; the specific epithets armeniacum refers to Armenia, azureum, to the ‘azure colour of the flowers’, botryoides meaning ‘like a bunch of grapes’ and neglectum simply ‘overlooked’.

Since the Middle Ages Muscari and its close relatives have been considered to be a symbol of Christ and as such they were frequently depicted in Renaissance nativity scenes.