Muscari comusum or Tassel Hyacinth

The Tassel Hyacinth is a plant of the lily family. Six weeks ago we saw this tufted grape hyacinth in flower in the valley of the Guadalfeo at an altitude of about 900 metres. At the highest point of our finca they are still flowering at the moment. Yesterday we saw hundreds of them on and near our old threshing circle at almost 1,500 metres. In a few southern regions (Basilicata and Puglia) of Italy, this lampascione (Italian name) is cultivated for its edible bulb. These bulbs, which are reportedly tasty and bittersweet when fully cooked, are used to prepare omelettes or vegetable soups. When grown to eat, they are harvested when a few thin leaves appear, and are not permitted to bloom. For the Greek and Italian market they are cooked and canned by small commercial specialists, packed in oil and vinegar, to be used as a relish. As you can see from the related key words, this plant has many synonyms in Spanish. A number of Spanish names, like ´cebollón´ for example, also refer to its edible bulb. The author of its botanical name ´muscari comusum´ is the Scottish botanist Philip Miller (1691 – 1771).



Related key words: hairy muscari, edible muscari, feather hyacinth,  agüelicos, ajete, ajete de cigüeña, ajipuerco, ajo, ajo de cigüeña, ajo de culebra, ajo de perro, ajo perro, ajopuerro, ajos de cigüeña, cebolla de lagarto, cebollita de milano, cebollón, guitarrillo, guitarrillos, hiacinto, hierba del querer, hierbas de los amores, implo, jacinto, jacinto comoso, jacinto de penacho, jacinto mayor comoso, jacinto penachudo, jacintos silvestres, lilas, matacandil, mayos, ojo de ajo, penitentes, kuifhyacint, schopfige traubenhyazinthe, ackerhyacinthe, schopmusk, queue-de-poireau, muscari chevelu, ail à toupet, poireau roux, muscaro selvatico, lampasciuni, lamponi, pampascioni, liliaceae, leliefamilie, liliácea, lilienartig