Narcissus March 2008

[David Nicholson]

I've been trying to look at Daffseek on and off for the last couple of hours but can't get it to download. Don't think it's my computer as other things are working fine-could someone else have a go please and see if they have a problem?

[tonyg]

Here are some daffodils from this week

1. + 2. Narcissus nobilis primigenius
3.        Narcissus bulbocodium   long corona
           - for all of these thanks to Tony G.
Gerd

And they are both in flower here too.  I only wish I could report so well of the narcissus you sent me Gerd.  One has been ravaged by narcissus fly while the N x susannae has remained dormant this year.  As I reported earlier, the bulbs are fine and firm but no roots or leaves

[John Forrest]

Gerd, thanks for that information about N. jeanmondii.

[Ian Y]

Robert, is not easy to try and give you answer as I have no experience of your conditions, however deep snow cover would be an advantage when trying to grow some of the smaller species.
In my experience most narcissus will die if their bulbs get frozen but deep snow cover should protect them from that.
As long as you can give them good drainage and a dry summer rest I would give some of them a go.
The main reason that i do not grow more of them out side is that many of the narcissus are in flower during our winter and they would take a physical battering from the weather.
Try something like Narcissus bulbocodium first.

[mark smyth]

Hitch the Galanthus grower from NY state told me this year he is having problems with his Galanthus. The problem is they grow at the right time of year but they are under the snow. They then rot and die. Can you grow them under something that will keep the snow off? I suggest you join daffnet and pose the question with them

[Paul T]

Love that Narcissus nobilis primigenius.  Lovely form!!

[David Nicholson]

A few shots from the greenhouse today:-

First a couple of Narcissus x tenuior, (bought as?)
and then a couple of Narcissus 'Minnow'

[mark smyth]

Can anyone give me a positive ID for this Narcissus rescued from an old garden.

[johnw]

his Galanthus. The problem is they grow at the right time of year but they are under the snow. They then rot and die. Can you grow them under something that will keep the snow off?

Mark - I doubt snow is the problem and this iis a much damper climate than New York State. I have seen Galanthus peek up here in November and then get covered by snow and ice until late March, even into April. My "bloomers" are under snow at the moment, ferocious winds and going below 0c tonight.

johnw

[annew]

That's a very elegant daff, Mark - is it really bicoloured, or is that a trick of the light?
I have had species daffodils such as bulbocodium nivalis and hedreanthus outside in troughs which freeze in cold weather, and they've been OK for several years. I think it would be repeated freezing and thawing that would kill them. I agree try some of the bulbocodiums first.

[mark smyth]

No trick Anne. It's the wrong time of year but when you come to visit we'll go rescue some from the old garden near me

[Anthony Darby]

I now know how a meadow pipit must feel having spent a few weeks rearing a cuckoo. I have a pot of seeds from the SRGC forum labelled Narcissus cuatrecasassii 1/2003. The first flowers opened this week and look like N. rupicola. I now have three forms of the little gem, only one of which came labelled as such (the other was labelled N. scaberulus).

[Lesley Cox]

Well Anthony, don't be in too much of a rush to re-label it as to my mind they are so similar as to be indistinguishable except, here anyway, cuatrecasasii flowers about a month earlier than rupicola. They both seed very well with fat pods and in every way behave exactly the same so I'm inclined to think they are VERY closely related. James S. Wells in his book "Modern Miniature Daffodils" is quite disparaging of the former but then received two wild collections and was given a subsp of it which all apparently perform much better, so maybe it's one of these which I/we have.

[Anthony Darby]

I have two pots labelled cuatrecasasii Lesley and they are not only different in colour (the cuckoo is lemon yellow, the other a deep rich yellow) but the cup shape in the imposter is totally different too. The deep yellow one has a lovely rounded goblet, whereas the imposter has a cone-shaped cup with a wavey edge.

[hadacekf]

Anthony,
I have a picture of N. cuatrecasasii  on my website.