Tassel grape-hyacinth

Hyacinthus comosus Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 318. 1753

Plants to 15(–30) cm. Bulbs ovoid, 3–3.5 × 2.5–3 cm, offsets absent, tunics pink. Leaves 3–5(–7); blade channeled, linear-lanceolate, 20–40 cm × 6–20(–30) mm, apex long-attenuate. Scape (15–)30–50(–80) cm, usually longer than leaves. Racemes 40–100-flowered. Flowers: perianth tube oblong-urceolate, those of fertile flowers pale to olive-brown, 5–8 × 2–4 mm, teeth lighter brown or white; sterile flowers bright violet, 2–6 × 1–2 mm; pedicel of fertile flowers ascending, 4–10(–15) mm, ± equaling perianth; pedicel of sterile flowers ascending, 6–25(–40) mm. Capsules 6–12 × 6–8 mm. 2n = 18, 27.

Flowering late spring. Roadsides, open woods, abandoned gardens; 0--800 m; introduced; Ga., Ill., Ky., Mo., N.C., Ohio, Oreg., Pa., Tenn., Va.; s Europe; n Africa; sw Asia; expected elsewhere.