Herbs, perennial, scapose, from bulbs. Bulb annual, ovoid, composed of few tubular coalescent scales, completely renewed annually. Leaves few, basal. Inflorescences racemose, bracteate; bracts 2 subtending each flower, linear-lanceolate. Flowers: tepals shortly connate basally, each 1-veined, 15- 20 mm; stamens 6; filaments inserted on perianth; anthers dorsifixed, versatile, introrse; ovary superior, 3-locular, septal nectaries present, ovules 1-10 per locule; style simple; stigma swollen distally. Fruits capsular, subglobose, 3-lobed, dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds 3-30, black, globose to ellipsoid, unwinged. x = 8.

Occasional garden escapes of Hyacinthoides occur in North America. Although the species are still often referred to as Scilla in North American floras, the group has been recognized separately for some 70 years (originally as Endymion), distinguished from Scilla by a number of developmental features as well as the partially fused perianth.

Hybrids between Hyacinthoides non-scripta and H. hispanica are widespread in gardens and are widely naturalized in Washington state, and probably elsewhere, occurring in the absence of either parent. These hybrids, which have been called H. ×variabilis P. D. Sell, show a range of intermediacy between the parents, and, in particular, have slightly one-sided racemes, slightly recurved tepals, stamens that are variable in length, and bluish or whitish anthers

(P. D. Sell and G. Murrell 1996).