Muscari Pink Sunrise

Muscari ‘Pink Sunrise’ is a pale pink grape hyacinth that blooms in early spring on stems about 6 to 8 inches tall. It grows from small bulbs planted in fall, about 3 to 5 inches deep and 2 to 4 inches apart. Give it full sun to part shade and well-drained soil. The bulbs are hardy in zones 4 to 8, need little care, and multiply over time. Plant them in drifts along borders, in rock gardens, or in lawns for a soft pink carpet each spring.

Lawn or flower bed? Pick the lawn if you want a spreading drift, and a bed or pot if you want it contained. NC State Extension cautions: “Because it naturalizes readily, grape hyacinth can be weedy…” Learn more about naturalizing bulbs, other bulbs to plant in fall, and the best perennials to plant with tulips.

Delicate Muscari flowers are one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring. Most of these dainty flowers are purple-blue, but some special types come in other colors. One of the best specialty types is Muscari Pink Sunrise, which blooms in a pale pink hue.

Muscari ‘Pink Sunrise’ is a specialty cultivar known for its soft pink flower color. These long-lived perennial flowers grow from bulbs and are one of the first flowers to bloom each year in the spring. Pink clusters of bell-shaped flowers grow about 6″-8″ high, accompanied by thin, grass-like green foliage.

Muscari Pink Sunrise basics

Muscari ‘Pink Sunrise’, also called Pink Sunrise grape hyacinth, is a herbaceous flowering perennial plant. This modern cultivar was bred to have a unique pink color (unlike the purple-blue of most types). Pink Sunrise Muscari are wonderful flowers to plant in flower border gardens, rock gardens, or naturalize on the lawn.

Pink Sunrise Muscari plants are hardy in Zones 4-8. Wild Muscari plants are native to the Mediterranean region, southeastern Europe, and southwest Asia.

Muscari plants grow from bulbs, which are each about 1″ wide at the widest part of the bulb. Muscari bulbs grow at a medium rate, multiplying over time underground where they can become naturalized over a wide area. Muscari is often planted in lawns, as the narrow foliage blends in with turf grass in the spring.

Pink Sunrise Muscari flowers are tiny bell-shaped blooms clustered together at the top of a flower stem. Flower clusters are conical and about 1″-2″ tall. The flower clusters of Muscari do look quite a bit like tiny clusters of grapes and are sometimes called Grape Hyacinth (although Muscari is not a true type of Hyacinth).

Buying Muscari Pink Sunrise plants

Muscari Pink Sunrise plants are most often sold as bulbs, but specialty nurseries may have them potted up in early spring. While Muscari bulbs can be ordered year-round, they ship at planting time in early fall. Starter plants may be available in the spring at specialty flower nurseries.

Planting Pink Sunrise Muscari

Muscari plants, including Pink Sunrise, are easy to plant. Muscari Pink Sunrise is most often planted from bulbs in the fall but can also be planted from starter plants in the springtime.

Pink Sunrise Muscari flowers bloom best when planted in a full-sun location. These plants are not too fussy, however, and can also be planted in partial sun or even in partial shade. They may not produce as many flowers in partial shade as they would when planted in full sun.

Muscari bulbs grow best in well-drained soil rich in organic matter. That said, these are not fussy plants and can also grow in clay soil or very sandy soil.

To plant a Muscari ‘Pink Sunrise’ bulb, dig a hole about 3 to 5 inches deep, measured to the base of the bulb. Set the bulb in pointed end up and backfill with the soil that came out of the hole.

Plant Muscari ‘Pink Sunrise’ bulbs 2 to 4 inches apart for dense blooms the following spring. You can also space them farther apart to cover a wider area and let them multiply on their own.

Water the planting area well after planting the bulbs.

Caring for Muscari ‘Pink Sunrise’

Muscari Pink Sunrise plants are easy to care for once established. Keep the soil moist in fall after planting and in spring while they grow and bloom. Cut back on water once the foliage starts to die back in late spring, since the bulbs go dormant until fall. In many climates, established bulbs get by on rain alone.

Most Muscari plants do not require routine applications of fertilizer. These are low-maintenance plants, but they may benefit from a thin top-dressing of compost in the fall or early spring.

Muscari Pink Sunrise FAQ