Hyacinthus orientalis 'Sneeuwwitje'
Judy Glattstein (Wed, 07 Nov 2007 18:04:23 PST)

According to the 1991 edition of the International Checklist for
Hyacinths and Miscellaneous Bulbs, by the Royal General Bulbgrowers'
Association (KAVB)

/orientalis/ L. 'Sneeuwwitje'
/orientalis/ 'Snowwhite'
sport of /orientalis/ 'Borah'
P. van Reisen, 1950; spike slender, flowers white, Fairy type
A.M.-B.C. 1960

/orientalis/ L. var. /albulus/ Baker
/albulus/ Baker
Naturalized in S. France; spike small and slender, flowers white, early
flowering. (2n=16)

Roy Genders, in "Bulbs, A Complete Handbook" makes brief mention on pg
354 ". . . and from the variety /albus/, with its blooms of virginal
whiteness, native of southern France, was raised the early flowering
Roman hyacinth." On the next page he devotes a paragraph to /Hyacinthus
romanus/, which he describes as "Not a true species but the French form
of /H. orientalis/ with creamy-white flowers in a loose spike at a
height of 12 in (30 cm). It is usually grown under glass, when it will
bloom between Christmas and Easter."

After some more discussion about multiflora hyacinths which are
derivatives of /H. romanus/ there an interesting two sentence long
paragraph:
"/Hyacinthus tabrizianus. /Native of Persia, it is one of the rarest
plants in cultivation, a single bulb being worth 50 new pence. It grows
only 3 in (7.5 cm) tall and blooms in March, the tiny bell-shaped blooms
being white, shaded with palest blue and they are deliciously scented."

And there we have it. Would that we did. Have it, that is. I would
delight in having any of the above-mentioned dainty white hyacinths.

And speaking of hyacinths - is it just me or do the bulbs we see offered
for sale seem to be shrinking in size, compared to those I recall from a
couple of decades ago? Or am I just showing my age and a faulty memory.

Judy in New Jersey where the leaves continue to fall from the trees,
along with dropping temperatures.