Narcissus (Daffodils)
Narcissus: One of the first flowers to show us its showy display of yellow and white blossoms.
| Narcissus | Bulb |
|---|---|
| Bloom Time | Early Spring |
| Light | Full Sun - Light Shade |
| Water | Well Drained Soil |
| Diseases | Blight,leaf scorch, leaf spot, rot, virus, botrytis |
| Pests | Bulb flies, mites, caterpillars, mealy bugs, nematodes, thrips. |
| Propagation | Separate Bulbs |
| Color | Yellow, White, Colored Coronas |
| Zones | 3 - 8 for most |
| Soil pH | 4.5 - 8.5 |
| Tolerates |
Narcissus (Daffodils)
There are so many varieties of Narcissus, here are a few of the most popular families:
Tazetta daffodils are commonly called paperwhite narcissus. They have multiple blooms per stem, with as few as three or as many as 20. Most are extremely fragrant and may be forced to bloom indoors for a touch of spring in early winter. You can force the bulbs in pots or in pebbles with water
Triandrus daffodils usually have two or more flowers per stem. The petals on each flower flare backwards and bend down at the neck. Most daffodils in this group are sweetly scented and appear in shades of white and yellow.
Double daffodils are the show-offs of the daffodil world. Not content with a single row of petals, they have multiple rings of petals or tufted cups full of frills. Flower colors may be yellow, white, peach, pink, bicolor, or mixed. Many are so packed with petals that they almost look like miniature peonies.
Jonquil daffodils are often used interchangeably, jonquils are technically only one type of daffodil. Jonquils have one to five flowers per stem and are usually quite fragrant. The petals may be spreading or reflexed. As with other types of daffodils, jonquils are reliable spring bloomers, resisting damage from rabbits and deer. Bulbs increase by natural division, making them great for naturalizing.
Small-cup daffodils have all the same qualities of large-cup and trumpet daffodils with the exception of the size of their cups. To be classified as a small-cup daffodil, the cup must be less than a third the length of the petals.
Most small-cup daffodils bear only one flower per stem. Blooms may be yellow, white, pink, or bicolor, and some are fragrant. Daffodils make good cut flowers. Plants may be full size or miniature. All varieties in this class are deer and rabbit resistant.
Large-cup and trumpet daffodils are nearly no-fail spring bulbs. Deer and rabbits avoid them, and they bloom reliably each spring, often increasing in spread and amount of bloom from year to year. The varieties that are classified as large-cup or trumpet daffodils usually have one flower per stem, and the cup (or corona) is about a third the length of the petals. In trumpet types, the cup is longer than the petals.
Narcissus are easy to divide and are very receptive to it. In fact you will find that division gives the original bulb new vigor and often will change a tired bulb into a bulb with lots of life.
First, dig and separate bulbs when the foliage has completely died down.
You can choose to replant the bulbs at once, or you can dry them in the sun a few hours, store them in a cool dry place, and plant in early fall.
For the fastest increase, plant the Narcissus bulbs less deep than is usually recommended. Their energy then goes into creating new bulbs, although they won't bloom as well.
You can start new varieties by planting seeds.
Narcissus (Daffodils)
Daffodils really look the best as a naturalized flower. This is easy to do. First put a bunch of bulbs in a bucket and cast the bulbs around the area you wish to produce the daffodils.
Plant the bulbs where the fall and it will look very natural and you should have drifts of flowers the next year.
Since daffodils are such early bloomers, on occasion, you my need to protect the flowers from a hard frost, even though daffodils are extremely cold hardy. If the flowers have already bloomed, you may loose them with very cold weather.
Daffodils are very happy just staying "put". There is not a need to divide them, as they happily multiply right in place. So it is a very easy-care bulb.
Narcissus (Daffodils)
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Narcissus canaliculatus: is a wild variety great for warmer climates. It produces clusters of four to six fragrant, tiny ivory blooms cupped in egg yolk yellow. The plant grows only 6 inches tall. Zones 6-9
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Narcissus 'Geranium': is an heirloom with three to five extremely fragrant flowers per stem. The white blossoms with orange cups bloom late midseason on stems to 18 inches tall. Zones 5-9
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Narcissus 'Golden Dawn': produces several rich yellow flowers with light orange cups. Great for naturalizing, 'Golden Dawn' grows 16 inches tall and blooms in midspring. Zones 4-9
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Narcissus 'Martinette': bears clusters of four to eight fragrant flowers on stems to 16 inches tall. This daffodil has yellow blooms with orange cups and blooms in midspring. Zones 4-9
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Narcissus 'Minnow': is a fragrant miniature variety that produces four to six white flowers with clear yellow cups on each stem. Flower stems reach 8 inches tall, but the foliage grows 15 inches tall. It blooms in early to midspring and multiplies quickly, making it a great choice for naturalized plantings. Zones 4-9
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Narcissus 'February Gold: is a miniature selection that grows 8-12 inches tall. In the South, it may bloom in February; elsewhere it will be one of the first daffodils to bloom. The bright gold flowers are less recurved than most other varieties in this division. Zones 4-9
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Narcissus 'Itzim': has rocketlike yellow flowers with a rich orange cup. The cup first appears yellow but deepens to orange as the bloom ages. This award-winning selection grows 10-12 inches tall and blooms early in spring. Zones 4-9
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Narcissus 'Jack Snipe': offers pale yellow petals that unfold around a golden-yellow, frilled trumpet. It grows 10 inches tall. Zones 4-9
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Narcissus 'Jetfire:) creates a flock of sunshine-yellow petals that curl back from the long central cup to give the impression of a jet-propelled flower. This variety grows only 10 inches tall, but makes a big impression in containers. Zones 4-9
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Narcissus 'Peeping Tom: is an old-fashioned variety with a long yellow trumpet and slightly recurved yellow petals. It blooms in early to midspring on stems 6-12 inches tall. 'Peeping Tom' naturalizes well. Zones 3-9
Narcissus (Daffodils)
Narcissus 'Golden Ducat': blooms in mid- to late season with whorls of pure yellow petals. This double daffodil grows 12-16 inches tall. Zones 3-9
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Narcissus 'Mary Copeland': is an heirloom from 1913 that bears double white flowers that have orange and yellow in the center. It grows 20 inches tall. Zones 4-7
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Narcissus 'Obdam': is a fully double sport (mutation) of 'Ice Follies' daffodil. The fragrant white blooms resemble nodding peonies. It blooms in mid- to late spring on stems 16-18 inches tall. Zones 3-9
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Narcissus 'Petit Four': features a frilly double cup of apricot pink with white petals in late spring. The colors show best in a partially shady planting site. The plant grows 16 inches tall. Zones 3-8
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Narcissus 'Rip van Winkle': is a miniature double daffodil also sometimes called 'Plenus'. Its twisted, whorled yellow petals look a bit like an exploding star or a dandelion sparkler. This heirloom variety from 1884 grows 6-8 inches tall. Zones 3-9
Water-soluble, quick release fertilizers. Water soluble fertilizers are generally used every two weeks during the growing season or per label instructions
Temperature controlled slow-release fertilizers. Controlled, slow-release fertilizers are worked into the soil usually only once during the growing season or per label directions.
Organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion. For organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion, follow label directions as they may vary per product.
Our preference here at Green Living Made Easy, is of course the Organic Fertilization method. We use either Fish Emulsion or Organic Bone Meal.
Plant bulbs at a depth that is three times their height, and at least 1-1/2 bulb-widths apart.
Once the hole has been dug, work a handful of Bone Meal into the bottom of the hole and then place the bulb in the hole, upright (roots pointing downward).
If you can't detect were the roots are, an easy clue is the pointed more more pointed area is the top of the bulb. If you are still in doubt, just plant them sideways.
Fill in the hole or trench gently and make sure there are not any stones or rocks in the fill. Sort them out if there are. The soil should be free of clumps or clods that would impede growth of the bulb.
Planting bulbs in formal rows hardly ever look good and certainly does not look natural. It looks best to plant the bulbs in natural drifts, as you would see them in the woodlands.
If you have trouble with gophers or squirrels eating your bulbs, try sprinkling red pepper in the holes, covering the bulbs with chicken-wire, surround bulbs with sharp shards of gravel or other substance, or planting rodent-repelling bulbs like Fritillaria nearby.
