The History of Hyacinths

Hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis) are native to the eastern Mediterranean region. Bulb adaptations enabled the plants to survive despite their short growing season. This in turn made them valuable to humans. Merchants in Istanbul began trading the bulbs around the 1500s and hyacinths held a special status in the Ottoman Empire due to centuries of cultivation in the area. Between the 1550s and the 1610s, hyacinths migrated from the Ottoman Empire to Europe through the bulb trade. We know this in part because the plants are mentioned in European writings from the time, including Rembert Dodoens’ Florum, et coronariarum, which was published in 1569. Around 1612, double-flowered hyacinths became popular in Bavaria, and by the 1680s, more varieties were being cultivated in Haarlem. Later, 18th century France experienced hyacinth mania after it became apparent that the bulbs could be forced to flower indoors. The process was likely popularized by Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of Louis XV, in the mid-1740s at the French court. Not only did she start the trend, but she is also thought to be the person who ordered the French royal porcelain manufacturer Sèvres to start making bulb pots for the practice. Today, hyacinths remain popular flowers, although the practice of forcing them to bloom indoors has come under some scrutiny due to sustainability concerns regarding the use of artificial fertilizers and other aids.