Hyacinth Magic & Playing in the Garden

Spring is in full swing here in the Midwest. I know this because the hyacinth are blooming next to my daffodils. I don’t have as long a history with hyacinth as I do daffodils but for the last 9 years they’ve been growing, blooming and multiplying in my front garden.

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Growing Hyacinth

Hyacinth (also known by the Latin name Hyacinthus) is a bulb that produces a single stalk of clustered flowers that smells amazing! They were originally blue but thanks to the Dutch they come in a wide variety of colors such as pink, purple, white and yellow.

Like daffodils, hyacinth bulbs should be planted in the fall about 6 inches deep and 4-6 inches apart so as not to compete with each other for nutrients. A common rule of thumb for all bulbs is to plant them twice as deep as they are tall.

They need loamy, well-drained soil because if it’s too wet the bulbs will rot. They do best in full sun but can tolerate partial shade. They’ll bloom mid spring, shortly after the daffodils.

A note about zones: they grow well between zones 3-9 however they absolutely need 12 weeks of temperatures below 45° If your winters don’t get that cold you can pop them in the fridge for a few weeks before putting them in the dirt to grow.

Harvesting the flowers

Once the stalk of hyacinth flowers have bloomed completely, meaning all the flowers have opened up, I like to cut them and put them in a vase. They have a strong pleasant aroma that lifts the energy in the house. After a few days though, the stalks begin to wither. At this point I’ll pop the flowers off the stem and let them air dry on a tray. As they dry, they’ll begin to shrink and darken. It takes a few days to completely dry on the trays but I promise, they’re not done.

Hyacinth flowers are thick and sturdy, unlike daffodils which tend to have thinner petals. They’ve fooled me a few times and ended up molding in the jar. So now, when they look like they’re good on the tray, I’ll transfer them on the top tray of my dehydrator and turn it on for a few hours without the top on.

Alternatively, I’ve also put them in the oven set at 200° with the door cracked.
Heat will discolor them, especially the white flowers, so keep it low and check it frequently.

Preserving

Once I’m absolutely confident that they’ are completely dry, Ill keep them in a glass jar in the cool dark closet until I need them. I’ll also put those little packets of silicon gel beads in the jar, just in case. (The kind you find in vitamin jars or new shoes). They last about 18 months before losing their color.

(Read more about your dried herbs and flowers here)

Medicinal/nutritional

Like daffodils, hyacinth contains oxalic acid which can be toxic to humans and animals. It’s more concentrated in the bulb so do NOT ingest. It’s also present in the sap of the cut stem causing dermatitis in some people. If you’re sensitive to them then wear garden or latex gloves when handling the cut flowers.

Magical Properties of Hyacinth

Daffodils show up at the beginning of spring to remind us there’s hope; the sun will shine and good times will follow. Then the hyacinth bloom in pretty pastels to tell us spring is here and it’s time to play.
That fun-loving energy aligns us with all the good things life has to offer. Use it to attract abundance and surprises, love and luck

They are known to brings peace of mind, restful sleep, and ward off nightmares.
Hyacinth has also been used to help re-build trust in yourself, in others and in the Universe at large.

Some witches use hyacinth to support our ability to focus & improve concentration. I don’t know about you but the cabin fever at the end of winter has me foggy brained and bouncing from task to task without ever finishing much. Hyacinth helps.

Hyacinth has such a high vibration that it is often recommended to use as a follow-up for uncrossing rituals to replace negative energy with positive energy. Burn the dried flowers with others herbs to help break a hex and replace the nasty energy with some good juju.

Uses

• Use fresh flowers to ease grief
• Carry dried flowers in an amulet or charm bag to help heal an emotional would.
• The smoke of hyacinth incense is also believed to help a soul crossing through the veil.
• Put dried flowers in Dream pillows to guard against nightmares
• Add to charms to protect against the evil eye, in love spells, and to spread feelings of happiness and joy on the psychic planes.

The energetic properties of Hyacinth

This is one of the plants that I did some serious energy exploration with. It was fun and informative but not all of my discoveries line up with historical data. I love this part of Witchcraft. Trust your intuition and go with your gut.

Hyacinth has a energy of playfulness, not just happiness or joy.

It helps us integrate the spiritual & earthly energies, which does correlate with helping to focus. Sometimes we get stuck in our heads, especially when we’re stuck inside during the harsh winter months. Hyacinth reminds us to get back into our bodies, re-connect with nature and understand the spiritual on a physical level.

It can also aid in the development of Inner Hearing, or clairaudience.

My gift has always been an inner knowing or claircognizence. My guides and ancestors like to put random information into my brain. I rock at trivia pursuit. However since working with hyacinth, I’ve slowly been developing clairaudience, or the ability to hear those guides and ancestors. The Guides are very helpful and the ancestors are very…interesting..

Hyacinth has a grounding quality of cosmic energy and sychic protection

Use to transmit feelings of joy and playfulness

From my notes taken in 2014:

Fun Fact:

Hyacinth is named for the Spartan Prince, Hykinthos, who was the beloved hero of Apollo. When he was killed by a jealous god, Apollo transformed him into the hyacinth. The flower is considered the patron herb for gay men and is believed to brings them special protection of Apollo.

Time to Play

Don’t be intimidated to grow your own Hyacinth. They’re pretty hardy, low maintenance and have great properties. If you don’t have the space or inclination to grow your own, or if you just don’t want to wait a year for the good juju- I do have a small supply of dried hyacinth petals in my Etsy shop.

Also don’t forget to download your free information page for your Book of Shadows. You can find that in our Resource Library under Herbology.

How do you use your Hyacinth? Leave a comment below!