The Language and Symbolism of Stock and Hyacinth, and Their Appearance

Based on the current flower market, the best-selling flowers in spring are stock and hyacinth. Stock flowers generally bloom from April to May, while hyacinth blooms slightly earlier than stock, with a flowering period from March to April. However, in the flower world, friends who are not very familiar with plants may easily confuse stock with hyacinth, because their flowering times and colors have a certain similarity. So what are the differences between stock and hyacinth? What value and uses does stock have? Let us learn about them together.

What are the differences between stock and hyacinth? First, their families and genera are different. Stock belongs to the Brassicaceae family and is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant, while hyacinth is a bulbous plant in the Hyacinthaceae family and is also a perennial herbaceous bulbous plant.

Then, looking closely, the two are not the same in form. Stock leaves are larger and mostly oblong, so when the flowers bloom, the flowers are also relatively larger than those of hyacinth, and the number is also greater. Hyacinth, however, has narrow, long, and fleshy leaves, with upright flower stems and densely growing flowers. When it blooms, as many as ten to twenty small flowers are densely arranged on the inflorescence.

Finally, in terms of planting methods, stock and hyacinth also differ. Stock is often propagated mainly by sowing, with sowing carried out in mid-September. When sowing, single-petaled flowers should be selected as the mother plant, and the soil should be kept moist, with seedlings emerging in about fifteen days. Hyacinth, however, is propagated mainly by dividing bulbs. Around June each year, the bulbs can be dug out, and the large bulbs and small bulbs separated for care. The large bulbs can flower the following spring, while the small bulbs take about three years to bloom. In addition, the language of stock and hyacinth represents different meanings. The language of stock contains eternal beauty and simple virtue, and sometimes also symbolizes loyal love. The language of hyacinth, meanwhile, involves joy, loyalty, and deep remembrance.

So, what value and uses does stock have? First, it has ornamental, edible, medicinal, and other values. For daily ornamental use, besides producing extremely bright flowers, it can also give off a rich fragrance, making it the best choice for arranging home scenes. In addition, stock has certain medicinal value, so some flower lovers also use it to make tea, and restaurants also use its petals as a side dish.