What to Do With a Hyacinth Plant Once the Flowers Have Died

Hyacinth flowers provide a touch of color during the winter in some areas.


Hyacinth flowers grow as perennials in USDA plant hardiness zone 5. These flowering bulbs need chilling in order to bloom each year, but the winters in some areas are not cold enough. So the only two options for growing hyacinths in these areas is to either chill them yourself each year or grow them as annual flowers. Once the hyacinth blossoms have died, the plants still need care.

Clean Up

The leaves on the hyacinth plant stay green long after the flowers have died. The leaves collect energy from the sunlight and transfer it into the bulb for the next year. Cut away the dead flowers close to the ground, but keep the leaves intact. Water the bulbs like normal to prevent the leaves from wilting.

After Care

Once the leaves have changed color to a yellowish-brown, the hyacinth plant is finished collecting energy. Dig the bulbs up and shake off the excess dirt. Gently pull the small bulbs away from the parent bulbs. Trim off the tops and lay the bulbs out in a shaded, sheltered area over night to cure.

Winter Storage

The bulbs need to be stored in a container of peat moss or sawdust. Place them in a cool area such as a refrigerator where temperatures stay around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This mimics the change in weather from fall to winter in zone 5. Hyacinth bulbs need eight to 12 weeks of chilling in order to bloom again next year. Spritz the peat moss with water if it begins to look dry.


Dig up the planting site in an area located in full to partial sun. The holes for the bulbs need to be 6 to 8 inches deep. Space the holes 6 inches apart, and spread 1/2 inch of bonemeal in the bottom of each hole. Plant the hyacinth bulbs and water after filling the holes with soil. Hyacinth plants do not need fertilizer if bonemeal is provided.


Each year a hyacinth bulb produces a blossom, the flower head is smaller. The first blooming of this spring bulb is always the most dramatic. Many gardeners dig the hyacinth plants up each year and discard them on the compost pile. More pre-chilled hyacinth bulbs are ordered for planting next year. So the bulbs are treated as an annual rather than a perennial bulb. Forced bulbs in containers do not blossom again for a couple of years, so most people just throw them away after the flowers have died.

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