Hyacinthus x orientalis Aiolos

The Hyacinthus orientalis or Aiolos Hyacinth is a beautiful white hyacinth, proudly named after a renowned loyal, upright, and just Knight of the Zodiac. This robust variety produces a very dense spike of fleshy, star-shaped flowers, reminiscent of tuberoses with their ivory and cream colour, becoming sparkling white at maturity. It also shares the sweet and sugary fragrance typical of oriental hyacinths. When forced indoors, this bulbous plant will bloom in the heart of winter, in a bright room.

While the Oriental Hyacinth is no longer widely cultivated, this species native to the Middle East and Mediterranean regions has given rise to countless highly regarded cultivars in gardens for their delightful spring flowering, or in floristry for their forcing ability. This naturalized botanical species can be found in France in Bouches-du-Rhône, Var, Alpes-Maritimes, and Lot-et-Garonne.

The 'Aiolos' hyacinth, like its namesake, belongs to the family of hyacinthaceae or asparagaceae. This cultivar, resulting from the cross-breeding of 'Delft Blue' and 'Carnegie', combines the qualities of both parents. It has a large ovate bulb and forms a clump of bright green ribbon-like leaves, from which a very robust floral stem emerges in December or January indoors, reaching 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10in) in length. The stem bears numerous star-shaped flowers with a thick and waxy texture, ranging from creamy white to pure white, tightly packed together and exuding a sweet fragrance. The foliage is deciduous after flowering. It is at this point that the bulb, depleted of its reserves, enters dormancy. The forcing technique involves exposing the bulbs to cold temperatures for several weeks from the end of summer, to break their dormancy and induce the flowering process.

Among early bloomers, the hyacinth is one of the few bulbs with large flowers and one of the easiest to force for winter flowering. Give it a prominent place in a very bright room, away from any sources of heat. Forcing at home is child's play: for example, use a narrow-necked vase specially designed for forcing hyacinth bulbs. Fill it with water and place the bulb so that its base is just above the water. Ensure that the water level always reaches the base of the bulb, but never higher. Don't hesitate to mix different plant species suitable for this cultivation method to create original compositions: tulips, daffodils, crocuses, Greek anemones, squills, as well as branches of Japanese quince, forsythias, apple trees, cherry trees, plum trees. Their hyacinth flowers are edible, both raw and cooked, and have a slightly mucilaginous texture. Depending on your preferences, you can crystallize them with sugar or incorporate them into fruit salads. In the past, they were considered a delicacy and could be found under the name of "candied Constantinople hyacinths". The 'Aiolos' hyacinth will look stunning alongside varieties such as 'Delft Blue' (bright blue), 'Fondant' (soft pink), or 'Jan Bos' (raspberry red).