I hadn't either. But one year after moving here to Eastern Tennessee, I
purchased for the first time ever, (loose in an individual bin) two yellow
hyacinth's to plant. I had never grown hyacinths before, but the picture on
the box was so cheerful, and they were about 39c each, so I got two of them.
I remember I had a short sleeve shirt on, and about halfway into wandering
the unique hardware store looking at all the neat things, I started really
itching on the opposite arm. The lady who worked the garden part of the
store was close by, and I asked her what on earth would be causing me to
itch so badly, and did they have a restroom where I could wash my arm with.
The arm was turning red and starting to rise up a little bit. She looked at
my arm, and back at the counter where I'd laid the two bulbs to purchase
while I was looking around and she asked me "are those hyacinth bulbs over
there?" when I affirmed that they were, she nodded her head and remarked,
"yep, some people really itch and swell like you're doing right now if they
handle these bulbs. I don't know why they do that, something on them I
suppose, but I'd say wash your arm where you've rubbed it after handling
them bulbs, and you'll stop itching". I did. It did, and I put the thought
back until later.

The next year I was at a Lowes where they too had loose hyacinth bulbs to
sell, and I picked up a couple, put them down, touched my hand to my arm on
the opposite side (these were bright red hyacinth bulbs, not yellow). Just
a few minutes later, my arm started itching really badly, and getting red
and only when I rinsed my arm off with their watering hose in the garden
center did it stop.

I have experimented on this idea with bagged bulbs throughout the years
since this first happened 13 years ago, and I have the same reaction. Not
with narcissus bulbs. Or tulips. Only hyacinth bulbs. And as a last test, I
did it with my Woodstock hyacinth bulbs last year and got the same reaction.
People I've asked about this tell me they don't have the same reaction as I
do, but occaisonally I find one person who does. So chances are that it's a
rare thing, most people don't itch after contact with these bulbs, but it's
probably like how some people handle and touch poison ivy and aren't
affected at all. Which I am not anymore. I can pull poison ivy out with my
hands, pick up a handfull of dirt and "wash" my hands with it, and go about
my business and never break out. But let my son do the same thing, minus
washing his hands off with the dirt and he's breaking out in a matter of a
few hours.

Probably just one of those odd things that some people experience. Or maybe
it's just me................................................ ..........(if
son hadn't seen me turn red and swell last year he wouldn't have believed me
either. I would love to see if he itches and turns red after touching
hyacinth bulbs, but he already things I'm strange and wierd....)

madgardener
"Chuckie" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have never heard of hyacinth bulbs making some itch like you say.
Chuckie in the frozen north, zone 5