Narcissus April to June 2009

[Brian Duncan]

The first narcissus was collected as seed in Val D'Incles, Andorra.  Might be N pallidiflorus.  Any other suggestions?

Below is Narcissus nobilis var primigenius.  Only 15-20cm tall it is much smaller than 'standard' N nobilis.  Again raised from seed.

Tony,
Val D'Incles is a wonderful site for N. pallidiflorus, I have not heard of another pseudonarcissus type in there. It is also a great place to find the three gentians - even within single photographic shot - G. acaulis, verna and pyrenaica. Presumably you also found the variable Crocus verna opening at the snowline and several colours of Hepatica under the bushes  - and if you were lucky a few lovely little Soldanella. What a magnificent place to visit! Your N. primigenius presumably hails from the Picos de Europa  - I like the symetrical spiral 'propellor like' petals. Nice pictures.
Brian

[tonyg]

The first narcissus was collected as seed in Val D'Incles, Andorra.  Might be N pallidiflorus.  Any other suggestions?

Below is Narcissus nobilis var primigenius.  Only 15-20cm tall it is much smaller than 'standard' N nobilis.  Again raised from seed.

Tony,
Val D'Incles is a wonderful site for N. pallidiflorus, I have not heard of another pseudonarcissus type in there. It is also a great place to find the three gentians - even within single photographic shot - G. acaulis, verna and pyrenaica. Presumably you also found the variable Crocus verna opening at the snowline and several colours of Hepatica under the bushes  - and if you were lucky a few lovely little Soldanella. What a magnificent place to visit! Your N. primigenius presumably hails from the Picos de Europa  - I like the symetrical spiral 'propellor like' petals. Nice pictures.
Brian

Thanks Brian.  I was in Val D'Incles in late June, the narcissus were all in seed as were Crocus vernus and Crocus nudiflorus and Gentiana pyrenaica.  I collected the crocus in several sites thinking all were C nudiflorus, it was a surprise when some came as Crocus vernus several years later!  You have whetted my appetite for a repeat visit (Inghams do a cheap package to Soldeu) but how early do these plants flower?  At a guess April/early May?  I did see the gentians in flower higher up and the last tatty narcissus.
The N primigenius was also from seed but I think it was ex cultivated plants.  Probably not many generations away from the wild populations you suggest.

[Joakim B]

I saw some narcissus in the wild in the mountains of serra de Aires in Portugal a week ago.
I think they might be n bulbocodium subsp bulbocodium.
two flowers an a seed pod.
Please let me know if You disagree with the name.
Kind regards
Joakim

[Gerdk]

I saw some narcissus in the wild in the mountains of serra de Aires in Portugal a week ago.
I think they might be n bulbocodium subsp bulbocodium.
two flowers an a seed pod.
Please let me know if You disagree with the name.
Kind regards
Joakim

Joakim,
When looking at the flowers of your plants which incurve at the margin of the corona it might be possible that you found Narcissus (bulbocodium) obesus - a real fatty in its typical form.
Here it is just flowering - later than the other bulbocodiums!

Gerd

[Giles]

Wisley.

[David Nicholson]

Here's my Narcissus obesus.

[Lesley Cox]

And mine 

[ashley]

Great plants everyone.  Here the last ones are

N. 'Bebop' (rupicola x poeticus)
N. x cazorlanus          bulking up nicely in my quarantine area, but suspected virus is confirmed this year
N. poeticus 'Actaea'    lingers rather than thrives for me
N. tazetta hybrid        possibly an old one, that does well here
N. 'WP Milner'             one I like very much

[Gerdk]

Lesley, David
Like your obese daffs - it seems they are a little fatter than those in nature!

Gerd

[David Nicholson]

Gerd, my Narcissus obesus came from a very good home-Anne Wright

[Armin]

Some N. pseudnarcissus ssp. pseudonarcissus (lobularis) pictures from the wild and more from a trip last Thursday.

If you want to see more visit topic: "To the flowering daffodils in the Eifel/W. Germany"
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=3424.0

best regards

[ashley]

Magnificent Armin.  Thanks to you and Gerd for a fascinating report.  Is this population very isolated, and how big is it?

[Paul T]

Breathtaking. 

I know that everything has to have been wild "somewhere", but it is still so strange to see the things we grow in our gardens here growing wild in numbers like that (not that that particular daff is growing and flowering here).  So much of what I grow is northern hemisphere stuff which I will never see growing wild in their origins, so these pics are extra special.

[Armin]

Ashley,
Paul,
thanks for the comments. The Narcissus population in the Belgian/Germany Eifel area is isolated but in Germany it is the largest of its kind. The Perlenbach protected territory is ~339ha, in total ~400ha..
I'll continue to post more pictures today, also from two other places Gerd and I visited.
Please have a look later today.

[Lesley Cox]

Lesley, David
Like your obese daffs - it seems they are a little fatter than those in nature!

Gerd

It's probably a matter of whom they live with Gerd. Well I'm not speaking for David's of course.