Narcissus November/December 2014

[Matt T]

A couple more early blooms are out here, but lots more buds are showing so there is lots to look forward to in January.

The precocious jonquil is fully open now and the scent from just this single bloom is powerful.

I have a new obsession. I love all the Section Bulbocodium plants, but Narcissus hedraeanthus (ex Cazorla) is a darling! Most of the texts I have are quite disparaging when dealing with this species and I have to say that they are all wrong. A more perfect plant I could not wish for! Having said that, I have been dabbing pollen from another species onto that stigma to see if we get some interesting hybrids 

[Matt T]

Thank you, Matt

I'm hoping I get your meaning right and reply... The background of N. ‘Koho’ is uncertain, unfortunately. It's an unregistered variety to The International Daffodil Register and named by an alpine nursery in Japan, The Alpine Garden YAMAKUSA. According to the nursery owner, the seeds were from an alpine plants society’s seed exchange and labelled as something mysterious ‘Narcissus cantabricus conspicuus’. The seedlings’ flowers varied in colour and blooming time, then a plant with relatively early blooming deeper yellow flower was selected and named. I feel some N. bulbocodium influence from it (long, upright and glossy leaves and relatively shorter stamens) so perhaps a hybrid origin with N. bulbocodium and N. cantabricus.

The daffodils in Bulbocodium Section are minor plants in Japan. There are a few alpine/bulb nurseries breeding actively with small narcissus (as owner’s hobby) but they don’t look being interested in registering names and vegetative propagation to sell them. I only know 1 nursery to sell its original breeding narcissus commercially in Japan (below).

KOMORIYA Nursery
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/komoriya-nursery/c/0000000173/
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/komoriya-nursery/c/0000000192/

You got my meaning exactly Tatsuo. Thanks for your reply.

‘Narcissus cantabricus conspicuus’ is certainly confused naming!  It's look more likely to be N. bulbocodium conspicuus and someone got confused with the name on the packet.

There's so much scope for interesting work with Bulbocodium hybrids. Some people are creating some good plants in this Section, but they are too few and far between. Given how easy the Bulbos are to cross-pollinate and grow from seed and what excellent show and garden plants they make, it would be good to see more hybrids.

[annew]

Your wish is my command! Some rolled-back hoops from me and 'Lemon Flare' from Brian Duncan. The Narcissus romieuxii var zaianicus M168 has been out for a few weeks and is almost over now.

[YT]

It's look more likely to be N. bulbocodium conspicuus and someone got confused with the name on the packet.

Yes, Matt. But it has a cantabricus like scent.

Your wish is my command!

My wish is your  rolled-back hoop in the first pic

[Yann]

Narcissus albidus SF110 x bulbocodium praecox Moulay Brahim
Narcissus romieuxii var zaianicus
Narcissus cantabricus ssp cantabricus

[annew]

They look happy with you, Yann!

[mark smyth]

One of my Craigton Clumpers has petaloid stamens. Is this normal? Has one got too many stamens?

[Yann]

Anne : Yes, it's Christmas in the greenhouse 

[ArnoldT]

Here's an unnamed Narcissus from the PBS exchange.  Described below:

Narcissus mixed seedlings
These date back to a mass sowing in 2004 of seed from moderately
controlled crosses of romieuxii, cantabricus, albidus, zaianicus, and
similar early blooming sorts of the bulbocodium group. Colors tend to be
light yellow through cream to white, and flowers are large, much larger
than the little gold colored bulbocodiums of spring. These have been
selected three times, and the keepers are choice.

[YT]

Narcissus ‘Hatsuyuki’ from the Komoriya nursery.
Compare flower size and height to N. cantabricus var. foliosus (left) in the second picture.

Happy Christmas

[Matt T]

Caught just before I left Benbecula for Christmas travels, Narcissus romieuxii JCA 805 'Atlas Gold'. A nice contrast to the usual, paler yellow selections of N. romieuxii.

[ashley]

Very nice Matt, and a week or two earlier than here.