Hybridising and registering narcissi

[FrazerHenderson]

After reading the following article
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/3337334/Growing-for-gold.html I've decided to try some hybridising of daffs next year. I have wondered however, how does one go about registering names? Are there conventions to be followed? Does it cost? And what stock levels does one need for such registering? I know that it may take 5 years to get to flowering size from seed but there's no harm thinking positively about the future! Perhaps the whole subject of selecting, hybridising, registering and promotion could be a topic that Ian Young's superb bulblog could tackle?

[mark smyth]

By far the best person on the forum to answer your question is Brian Duncan. I'm sure he'll contact me.

[FrazerHenderson]

Ah, the very man

[Maggi Young]

Frazer, I think that Ian has already made some mention of registering Narcissus in the bulb log. 

Anyhow, it's not complicated..... and while I would never recommend the wholesale registration for naming of any plants, it can be sensible to register a name and plant if there is any chance that it will come into commerce or even be widely distributed amongst other enthusiasts, if only to ensure that all the plants of one type are secured with their own name in the beginning and do not end up being sent around with say, a number, and then each person down the line gives a name, so one plant ends up with six names........

[Maggi Young]

 ....so, what is the procedure? Well, on the RHS website, one finds the link to the Narcissus Registry pages:    http://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/registerpages/Intro.asp

This pdf  http://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/registerpages/documents/daffregister2008.pdf contains all the "need to know stuff" .... and it is really quite straightforward.
The Registry page link also leads to the Daffodil Names Database so you can search to see if, for example 'Auntie Nellie's Favourite' has already been registered as a name.

 Naturally, Brian Duncan, and Graham Fleming ( mini-daffs in the Forum) are Narcissus breders and know all there is to know  from the commercial point of registration. 

[FrazerHenderson]

Thanks Maggi for the links and information - I shall, hopefully, if the hybridising works put them to good use.