Leopoldia comosa 'Plumosum' syn. Muscari comosum 'Plumosum'
Tassel Grape Hyacinth 'Plumosum'
Leopoldia is a genus of plants that were formally included in the genus Muscari but have since been separated. They are small clump-forming bulbous perennials which can be found over a wide area including the Mediterranean region, Canary Islands and as far as Iran. They, like Muscari, are similarly referred to as Grape Hyacinths and their flowers are arranged on a raceme, usually with those at the top brighter than those at the bottom. They are taller than Muscari, and quite often have more open spikes of flowers with very few packed together. The flowers at the bottom are generally fertile and are white, yellow, green or brown but never blue - whereas those at the top of the raceme are generally sterile and bright violet, blue or pink. They generally flower a little later in the season to Muscari, around late spring or early summer and are easy to grow in warm sunny spots. Leopoldia comosa (syn. Muscari comosum) is a species Leopoldia which is native to the Canary Islands, Central Europe and Iran. They are often used in cooking. It has strap like green foliage, and flowers are quite open and spaced apart and are a violet purple colour at the top, fading to brown down the spike. It has a musty fragrance. 'Plumosum' is a selected cultivar which has flowers where they have all become branched purple stems, giving it a feathered look.
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Full sun to partial shade
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Very little water
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Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)
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Free draining and fertile
Common name
Tassel Grape Hyacinth 'Plumosum'
Latin name
Leopoldia comosa 'Plumosum' syn. Muscari comosum 'Plumosum'
type
Bulb
family
Asparagaceae
ph
5.0 - 8.5 Acid - Neutral
Plant & bloom calendar
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Best time to plant
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When the plant will bloom
full grown dimensions
Leopoldia comosa 'Plumosum' syn. Muscari comosum 'Plumosum'
Leopoldia is a genus of plants that were formally included in the genus Muscari but have since been separated. They are small clump-forming bulbous perennials which can be found over a wide area including the Mediterranean region, Canary Islands and as far as Iran. They, like Muscari, are similarly referred to as Grape Hyacinths and their flowers are arranged on a raceme, usually with those at the top brighter than those at the bottom. They are taller than Muscari, and quite often have more open spikes of flowers with very few packed together. The flowers at the bottom are generally fertile and are white, yellow, green or brown but never blue - whereas those at the top of the raceme are generally sterile and bright violet, blue or pink. They generally flower a little later in the season to Muscari, around late spring or early summer and are easy to grow in warm sunny spots. Leopoldia comosa (syn. Muscari comosum) is a species Leopoldia which is native to the Canary Islands, Central Europe and Iran. They are often used in cooking. It has strap like green foliage, and flowers are quite open and spaced apart and are a violet purple colour at the top, fading to brown down the spike. It has a musty fragrance. 'Plumosum' is a selected cultivar which has flowers where they have all become branched purple stems, giving it a feathered look.
Flowering Season
From Late Spring TO Early Summer
Open spaced spikes or racemes of individual flowers, often brighter coloured at the top and more duller towards the bottom. Leopoldia typically flower a bit later between late spring to early summer
Planting Bulbs in Autumn
From Early Autumn TO Mid Autumn
Divide a cluster of established plants and carefully separate the bulbs. They should come apart easily and there will likely be lots of offset bulbs to collect. Plant them where you wish, and they should start spreading from their new spots, giving even more of the pretty little plants next season.
Propagation by Seed
From Late Summer TO Mid Autumn
The structure of Leopoldia flowers means that to get seed the flowers at the bottom of the racemes need to be pollinated as these are most fertile. Those at the top are typically sterile. Seeds will form if pollination has occurred and you can collect any seeds after flowering is complete between mid to late summer. Sowing should be done in the autumn to allow the seed a period of cold before it begins to germinate in the spring. Sow seed under glass. Plant seedlings out in nursery rows after a year.