NARCISUS or DAFFODILS

All daffodils are Narcissus, which is the genus name. However, most people think of daffodils as the single flower, large trumpet yellow ones, which are the most common kind of daffodils, and call the smaller headed scented varieties, narcissi. The Oxford Dictionary defines narcissus (plural narcissi) as "any of a group of flowers including jonquils and daffodils, especially the kind with heavily-scented single white flowers". In fact, even the growers of the scented varieties call all of their products white or yellow, single or multi-headed, "narcissi".

There are about 40 species of narcissus, most of which are native to Europe. Because of its hardiness, beauty, fragrance, and early spring blooming, narcissus is favored by gardeners. The plant has a bulb from which grow narrow grasslike leaves 2 inches (5 centimeters) to 4 feet (1.2 meters) high. The white, yellow, or pink blossoms grow on a straight central stalk. The cup-shaped center is called a corona, or crown. The most interesting feature of the plant botanically is this corona. It arises at the throat of the bloom and may range in shape from long and tubular to a ring in some forms.

The common daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) bears a single yellow flower. It differs from other narcissuses in having a long, bell-shaped corona. It is also called the lent lily or trumpet narcissus. The poet's narcissus, or pheasant's eye, (N. poeticus) has a single white flower with a short, red-margined corona. The jonquil (N. jonquilla) bears several fragrant golden blossoms, the oil from which is used in perfumes. The paper-white narcissus carries as many as a dozen all-white flowers on a single stalk. It is a form of N. tazetta, a species that includes the Chinese sacred lily, or joss flower.

The daffodil originates from South Western Europe, and is grown extensively in the UK. They are available from October to April. The Isles of Scilly start the season off in October with the tiny tazetta types. It finishes in April with large trumpet daffodils from Scotland.

There is a huge number of cultivars, in a range of colours including combinations of white, yellows, oranges and pinks. There are multi-headed tazetta types and some with a strong fragrance. Yellow tazetta narcissi "Soleil d'Or'"and white "Ziva" have the strongest scent, and also make ideal indoor plants as potted bulbs.

Daffodils and narcissi have sap which is toxic to other flowers. Display separately, leave in water on their own for at least 12 hours before mixing with other flowers and do not recut the stems. You could use specially formulated cut flower food for mixing daffodils with other flowers. If kept cool they will last about 1 week.

Narcissi are mainly cultivated in the Channel Isles, the Isles of Scilly, Great Britain and Holland. The daffodil is the emblem of Wales and is worn on St David's Day. Poultry keepers thought the flower unlucky and would not allow it in the home as they believed it would stop their hens laying eggs or the eggs hatching. Prince Charles is paid one daffodil annually as rent for the unattended lands of Scilly. The local Environmental Trust is reponsible for the payment. The daffodil is used by Marie Curie Cancer Care to raise money on National Daffodil Day. They believe it symbolises new hope and life.

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