Purple Hyacinth Meaning

The purple hyacinth is mainly about a deep feeling of sadness and asking for forgiveness.  

Legend has it that the hyacinth flower is really Hyacinth (or Hyakinthos) a Greek youth whom both Apollo and Zephyr loved.  Learning that Hyacinth’s love for Apollo is greater than his love for Zephyr, he decided to take revenge. I must say that the purple Hyacinth is one of my favourate flowers. Not only because of the spiritual meaning but simply the wonderful smell that radiates from this flower in sping time. So, you are probablly wondering what spiritual connections. Let's start with a story.

One day, Apollo and Hyacinth were playing a game of discus.  Whether it was Apollo who threw the discus or if it was Hyacinth himself is unclear but at the moment that the discus was in the air, Zephyr caused a strong wind to blow the discus back.  It hit Hyacinth on the head, killing him.  Weeping over the hyacinth that came from Hyacinth’s blood, Apollo’s tears turned the flower’s petals purple.

The symbolisms for sorrow and grief could be what Apollo felt when Hyacinth died.  Even if the purple hyacinth sprung from Hyacinth’s blood, it would in no way replace his companion.  On Zephyr’s side, he felt really sorry from his gullible act that ended the life of Hyacinth.  That’s why the purple hyacinth sends a message of apology.

• Name:  Purple Hyacinth
• Color:  Purple hyacinths have colors that range anywhere from light to dark.  Some flowers would even have contrasts of colors on them where the lines of the petals are defined with a darker shade.
• Shape:  If you would imagine cotton candy sold in a carnival or a fair, that’s what the hyacinth looks like from a distance.  But if you look at the hyacinth flower cluster closely, you can see that the individual flowers are star-shaped.
• Fact:  Hyacinths come in different varieties like single hyacinths, double hyacinths and multi-flora types.  The differences on how these hyacinths look would be how distinct the individual flowers are.  The multi-flora variety will have loose arrangements of the flowers.
• Poisonous:  Yes, hyacinths are plants with some level of toxicity in them.
• Number of Petals:  You can see the number of petals on a hyacinth more clearly on its multi-flora varieties.  For an individual flower, it’s going to have six petals.
• Victorian Interpretation: Since the hyacinth can change colors, it Victorian meaning also changes.  From signifying sports and games, it can mean sorrow.  It’s a flower that also says “I’m sorry, please forgive me”.
• Blossom Time: The purple hyacinth blooms three months out of the year.  It starts in March and ends in April.

Purple Hyacinth Superstitions: 

Basically, the belief that stuck with the purple hydrangea is about sorrow and grief.  But in the realm of witchcraft and magic, the purple hyacinth is also a symbol of love and happiness – and can likewise mean protection from harm.

• The Shape: The purple hyacinth is a blossom made of a cluster of star shaped flowers.  The cluster looks like a purple cotton candy.
• Petals:  The purple hyacinth has refluxed petals that have a wax like surface.  When the flower blooms, it doesn’t really open up symmetrically and that’s what gives it the look of a star.
• Numerology: The purple hyacinth is represented in numerology as the number 7.  The number as well as the purple color signifies meditation.
• Color:  No matter what shade of purple the hyacinth is, it symbolizes sorrow.  So always consider the hue of hyacinth you’re thinking of giving to your loved one just to be sure that you get its significance right.

Herbalism and Medicine:   

Even as a poisonous plant, the purple hyacinth is used externally as well as internally for medical purposes.  As a topical treatment, the harvested and dried parts of the plant are mixed with sesame oil.  This is then applied on the skin to cure sores, cuts and burns.