Hyacinths, Hyacinthus orientalis and its hybrids, are in the lily
family, planted as bulbs and known for their beautiful, fragrant flowers.They do well in cold climates; they are not a tropical plant. Even
garden books note that they can be grown in all zones except Hawaii. In areas of
the country with distinct cold winters, bulbs can be left in the ground and
with proper chilling, will bloom the next year.The Roman or French hyacinth is native to Southern France and can
remain in the ground year after year in areas of little or no winter chill.
Here’s one thing to try if living in a tropical climate: after the bloom has died, put the bulb with its leaves in the ground. The leaves should eventually yellow and dieback. At this point, dig up the bulb, set it in a small pot with potting soil, cover to keep dark, also keep soil moist. Place in the refrigerator; it must be below 45 degrees Fahrenheit and remain there for at least 10 weeks. Roots will grow and eventually a shoot tip will emerge. At this point, it can be removed from the refrigerator.
This is a lot of effort with no guarantee it will work. Hyacinths may just be one of those plants that needs to be purchased each year.
