A hyacinth is a flowering plant known for its dense clusters of small, intensely fragrant flowers that grow along a single stem. In spring, hyacinths burst into bloom with colors like deep purple, bright pink, pure white, or sunny yellow. The flowers are so aromatic that a single hyacinth can perfume an entire room.

Gardeners often plant hyacinth bulbs in fall, and the plants push up through cold soil to bloom in early spring, sometimes even while patches of snow remain on the ground. The Greeks and Romans treasured hyacinths thousands of years ago, and the flowers remain popular today for gardens and indoor forcing, where people grow them in special glass vases that let you watch the roots develop in water.

In Greek mythology, the hyacinth flower grew from the blood of a young prince named Hyacinthus, a friend of the god Apollo. According to the myth, when Hyacinthus died in a tragic accident, Apollo created the flower to honor his memory. The ancient Greeks saw markings on the petals that they thought looked like letters spelling out a cry of grief.