Leopoldia Comosa

Tassel hyacinth is an unmistakable Mediterranean bulb with a tall flower spike divided into two distinct parts. Fertile lower flowers are brownish violet and bell shaped, while the top is crowned by a loose plume of bright violet-blue sterile flowers resembling a jaunty tassel. Long leaves emerge in the cool season and fade as summer approaches. Formerly known as Muscari comosum, it has been cultivated since ancient times, and the bulbs are still prepared as a traditional food in parts of southern Italy. Garden plants are best valued ornamentally in sunny, dry ground.