Narcissus September - December 2009

[Lesley Cox]

That's about right David. We always reckon on 'Nylon' starting in April. I'm calling it 'Nylon' Group now. I have so many that look the same but under many names or non-names that I feel justified in lumping them, for garden purposes, at least.

[Ragged Robin]

Lovely looking Narcissus, David, photo one is delightful.  Why on earth are they called the 'Nylon' Group?  Nothing synthetic about this beauty

[ranunculus]

Why on earth are they called the 'Nylon' Group?  Nothing synthetic about this beauty

'Sheer' beauty, Robin?
They grow nice and 'tight'?
Men are instantly attracted to them?
They hold up well?
  

[Ragged Robin]

Cliff, you are incorrigible    Is there a fishnet group as well? 

[Paul T]

Robin,

Don't encourage him.... he's been stocking up on jokes for years!!  

You realise of course that with jokes like these we'll need a ladder to get out of the pile of manure our great and fearless leader will dump on us.  

[Ragged Robin]

ssssshhhh   

[David Nicholson]

Lovely looking Narcissus, David, photo one is delightful.  Why on earth are they called the 'Nylon' Group?  Nothing synthetic about this beauty

Robin, perhaps the best way of explaining is for me to quote from John Blanchard's book "Narcissus: A Guide to Wild Daffodils"

"I have mentioned that hybrids have been raised from crosses N. romiuxii x N. cantabricus. This is how the cultivars bred by my father and named 'Tarlaton', 'Muslin', 'Taffeta' and 'Jessamy' were produced, var. foliosus being the pollen parent. This work does not deal with deliberate hybrids, but perhaps I should explain the origin of the widely distributed cultivar 'Nylon' which causes concern because it is not uniform. It is really a name which should never have been given, because it was bestowed by Alec Gray on all the seedlings my father sent to him from which 'Tarlatan' and the others had been selected. 'Nylon' is therefore not a clone, hence it lacks uniformity, and is what in other genera would be known as a grex hybrid"

On the Forum we have discussed many times how best to describe the many variants, with the name 'Nylon', in circulation and I think we came down to 'Nylon Group' as perhaps the best way to describe them.

[ranunculus]

Is there a fishnet group as well? 

Now we are trawling the depths!   

[Paul T]

Cliff,

I think a long line needs to be drawn under this conversation. 

[Anthony Darby]

Gosh, seems I've missed most of the nylon thread!?

[David Nicholson]

Darn it Anthony.

[Ragged Robin]

Thanks for your posting David that explains about the Nylon Group and has filled a hole in my knowledge 

[Lesley Cox]

Thank you David, for imposing a little sense on this incorrigible lot - until your last post that is.

[Paul T]

Yes Lesley, we are very encouragable, aren't we? 

[Gerdk]

Some additions to my last pics - unfortunately none of Narcissus cavanillesii (humilis) which gave a poor show and no N. viridiflorus which will appear later hopefully.

1. Narcissus miniatus - a form with small petals
2. Narcissus miniatus - greenish when opening
3. Narcissus miniatus - orange tinted
4. offspring of a cross N. miniatus orange x orange - unfortunately a little bit
    damaged by slugs
6. + 7. Narcissus x moronensis spec. nov.

Gerd