Narcissus

Family. Amaryllidaceae.

Origin. Europe.

Description. Narcissus are bulbous plants that are famous for their elegant, sometimes fragrant flowers. Narcissus bulbs are light, almost white, covered with brown scales, each capable of forming 2 - 4 leaf blades and a single, leafless peduncle.

Each plant has very long and narrow, dark green, basal leaves, each up to 40 cm long. The leaves are often formed before the flower shoot appears. Peduncles appear in the center of the bush and are distinguished by their rounded shape and the presence of a film at the top.

The flowers are very attractive, often solitary, white, yellow, up to 7 cm in diameter, with 6 round or oblong perianths, appearing on tall leafless peduncles. Some species have small inflorescences - brushes, consisting of 2 - 8 buds each. Each peduncle can bear 1 or several flowers. Each flower has a ruffled crown in the center that is yellow, orange or pink.

There are a huge variety of varieties of this plant, including terry ones. Many varieties emit a pleasant aroma during the flowering period.

Height. Depending on the variety, narcissus can reach 10 - 60 cm in height. 

Narcissus - planting and care

When buying in a flower shop, pay attention to the appearance of the bulbs - they should be firm to the touch, without soft areas. The outer brown scales should fit tightly to the surface of the planting material. Also, do not buy bulbs that have sprouts - such plants will need to be planted in the ground immediately. If diseased areas are found before planting, they are cut off with a sharp sterile knife to healthy tissue, and the cut sites are treated with any fungicide.

Planting in open ground is usually done in late summer - early autumn, and such plants will bloom the following year - in the spring. Flowers planted in this way will have time to adapt to new conditions before the onset of frost and will get stronger. If you are late with planting, the plants will not have time to form a powerful root system before the frost.

If the bulbs were purchased at a flower shop in advance, they can be stored until planting in a paper or fabric bag, sprinkled with dry sawdust and placed in a fairly cool place - for example, on a refrigerator shelf. Then, before planting, they are taken out and left for a few more days in a room with an air temperature of about 15 - 17 ° C. Such plants can also be planted in the spring - for example, in April, as soon as the snow melts. The bulbs may not survive long-term storage - the fact is that they quickly lose moisture and dry out. 

A well-lit or semi-shaded place is suitable for growing a flower. In a poorly lit area, flowering will be sparse or may not occur at all - the plants will only form leaves. If the soil on the site is highly acidic, then it is first spilled with lime milk or sprinkled with dolomite flour. The soil is loosened and planting holes are prepared for plants with a depth of 2 - 3 times greater than the height of the bulbs. To improve the drainage of moisture from the bottom of the bulbs, you can add about 1 cm of river sand to the bottom of the planting holes.

The planting scheme will depend rather on the gardener’s imagination and the frequency of plant replanting. The less often the transplant is planned, the greater the distance between the holes should be. In gardens with clayey, too dense soils, the planting depth can be reduced. It is better to sprinkle the soil in such places with river sand so that it allows moisture to pass through better and the bulbs do not rot. The bulbs can be pre-treated with wood ash, then they are placed in holes and covered with substrate. 

Further care will consist of timely watering, weeding and fertilizing. The first fertilizing is carried out in the spring, as soon as the first leaves appear from the ground - mineral fertilizers with a high content of nitrogen and potassium are used, helping the plants to form leaves. In the second application (with the appearance of the flower arrow), fertilizers are used for flowering plants and during the flowering period the narcissus are fed with fertilizers high in potassium and phosphorus, helping the bulbs maintain a supply of nutrients and give rise to new growth in the next season. Charcoal and ash are considered good food for narcissus. 

If seed propagation is not planned, then the buds that fade after flowering are removed so that the plants do not waste their energy on the formation of seed pods. After flowering, the plants also need to be looked after, helping the bulbs prepare for winter and grow a new root system. The soil at the planting site is periodically moistened and loosened, allowing the plants to breathe.

A flower can be grown in the same place for 4 - 5 years, then the bulbs will become too crowded, the plants will no longer receive sufficient nutrition, it will be better to replant. The bulbs are dug up after flowering - when the leaves turn yellow, but do not die off completely. After the leaves die off, the formation of a new root system for the next season will begin and its damage is undesirable. The bushes are removed from the soil, divided into several parts and planted in different areas. 

Transplant

Approximately every 3-5 years, depending on the variety, daffodils need to be replanted and divided. Each adult bulb is capable of producing another 2-4 daughter bulbs in just one growing season.

Wintering, storage of bulbs

Narcissus are highly resistant to negative temperatures and cannot tolerate them only in humid conditions.

During the first winter in harsh climates, autumn plantings can be covered with a thin layer of mulch, protecting them from severe frosts. The fact is that the soil after planting is still too loose and easily lets in cold air. In the second and subsequent years, such shelters will no longer be needed.

If winters in the region are harsh and have poor snow cover, then winter plantings can be mulched with leaf litter and covered with non-woven material on top. It is not severe frosts that destroy plants, but temperature swings - when thaws give way to frosts and water, penetrating into the smallest cracks and cracks, simply freezes. 

If there is a dry, cool place suitable for storing planting material, then after flowering, but before the leaves completely die off, the bulbs can be dug up. After the ground part dies off, finding a landing site will not be easy. Before storing the bulbs, the leaves are cut off, small daughter bulbs are separated, washed, disinfected in a solution of a fungicidal preparation and dried for 1 - 2 days.

You cannot store planting material in a closed plastic bag - it will rot. For storage, select fabric or paper bags or simply put the bulbs in plastic boxes with holes. During storage, you can sprinkle the bulbs with perlite - it is able to absorb moisture and will keep the bulbs alive longer, preventing them from drying out. The storage room must have a fairly high air humidity - about 60 - 70% relative and a temperature of about 10 degrees Celsius. Every week, the bulbs are sorted and diseased and rotten specimens are removed. 

Flowering time

In gardens, narcissus bloom mainly in the spring - in April and May. Different varieties have different timing of flowering and this often occurs in the summer months. In indoor conditions, these plants are able to change their flowering time, depending on the conditions. On average, narcissus bloom 1.5 months after planting.

Growing a homemade

Care

At home, narcissus bulbs are often planted for forcing and then, after the ground part dies off, they are planted outside again - in open ground. The fact is that many varieties are not suitable for constant cultivation in the house and in a pot; they simply do not have enough space and nutrients for stable flowering from year to year. After planting, the plants will not show any signs of growth for some time - for 3 - 4 weeks, the root system simply develops under the surface of the soil and only then the first leaves begin to appear. For forcing, adult, healthy bulbs with a diameter of 4 - 5 cm are selected. In order to get a flowering bush by March 8, planting in a pot should be done at the end of October.

After flowering, peduncles with faded flowers are removed, but the yellowed leaves are not touched, as they continue to nourish the bulb. Leaves are separated only when they turn completely yellow or brown. Faded bulbs are removed from the soil and dried thoroughly, treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and dried again. The bulbs will become suitable for re-forcing only after 2 - 3 years. During this entire period, it is better to plant them outside.

Transplant 

In autumn, the bulbs are planted in pots with drainage holes. The first layer of drainage is placed on the bottom of the pot, which is then sprinkled with flower soil. In the center of the pot, make a hill of river sand and place an onion on it, straightening the roots. It is worth making sure that when planting the roots are not directed upward or bent.

When grown in containers, the bulbs are planted so that they protrude from the ground by about half or a third of the height. After planting, the soil around the bulb is lightly compacted. The top part of the soil can be additionally mixed with river sand. Some varieties are suitable for indoor use and can be left in the same pot until it becomes overcrowded.

Soil for narcissus 

Narcissus adapts well to most soil types, but prefers nutritious, rather neutral soil with a pH of 6.0 - 7.0 and good drainage. Turf and leaf humus and humus can be used as a nutritional component. Also, loosening materials are added to the mixture - perlite or vermiculite, coarse river sand. As additional nutrition, you can offer the flower wood ash or coal.

Reproduction 

Most often, narcissus is propagated by daughter bulbs, but seed propagation is also used to breed new varieties. Depending on the variety, daughter bulbs may appear under the scales of the mother bulbs or have a common bottom with the mother bulbs. Over time, such nests should be divided into several parts and planted. The most suitable time for such division will be the period when the leaf blades have become brown and almost dry - usually this happens a couple of months after flowering.

The bulbs are removed from the ground, the old leaves are cut off with pruning shears and divided into parts. When dividing, they try to minimally disturb the root system and keep the roots intact - only rotten and old, dried sections can be removed. The delenki are washed with running water and soaked for 20 - 30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.  If as a result of division a wound surface is formed, then it is additionally powdered with coal powder for drying and disinfection. The bulbs treated in this way should be dried by laying them out on a flat surface in a cool and well-ventilated place for 1 to 2 days. 

You can grow narcissus from seeds, but this process will take several years and the result will not always be pleasing. The fact is that during replacement propagation, plants will not always inherit the varietal characteristics of the parent bushes and may differ strikingly from them. To collect seeds, select a fine, dry day. The seed pods are separated from the plant when they are fully ripe and begin to dry. Fully ripe narcissus seeds are oblong, glossy, and black.

Planting material is used immediately after collection - sown in open ground or in separate cups. At the bottom of the cups there should be drainage holes and a drainage layer that allows you to quickly remove excess moisture after watering.

Fill the cups with loose, nutritious substrate and moisten it with a spray bottle. The seeds are sown to a depth of about 1 cm. The fact is that young plants should not be replanted for 1 - 3 years. Only in this case can you obtain plants with a sufficiently developed, strong root system. The first buds will decorate plants obtained from seeds within 3 - 6 years - this period will depend on the specific variety. 

Temperature

Narcissus are fairly hardy houseplants and can acclimate to almost any temperature. Before planting, the bulbs are preliminarily subjected to cold stratification for 3 - 4 months at a temperature of 4 - 7 ° C. The duration of this cool stratification will depend on the specific variety.

After planting, the bushes are placed in a cool place with a temperature of about 10 ° C. 2 - 3 weeks before the desired date of bud formation, the temperature is kept at 13 - 15 degrees. From the beginning of growth until the formation of buds, the temperature is gradually increased. During flowering, the temperature should be about 16 ° C; under such conditions, flowering will be long. Excessive heat weakens the plant and its flowering will not last long.

Lighting for home narcissus

When the first shoots appear, the plants are kept in partial shade, gradually moving to a more illuminated place. During the flowering period, narcissus like to be in a well-lit place without direct sunlight. 

Feeding

Narcissus on the windowsill are fed after flowering, but before the leaves turn yellow, as the bulbs need to replenish their supply of nutrients. For feeding, fertilizers with low nitrogen content and high potassium content are used. Organic fertilizers should not be used for flowers - they contain a large amount of nitrogen, which will stimulate the growth of green mass to the detriment of flowering. Excess organic matter also negatively affects the health of bulbous plants - they become weak and are often susceptible to fungal diseases. Plants are fed in wet soil - in dry soil, the nutrient solution can harm the roots and burn them. 

Purpose

Narcissus are wonderful flowering plants that are often used for forcing. From bulbs planted in pots at different times, you can get an attractive blooming bouquet or basket for any significant date or holiday.

The buds can be used as cut flowers - they do not lose their attractive appearance for a long time in a vase with water. Unfortunately, you should not use freshly cut daffodils in compositions with other plants - their juice releases toxins into the water.

Despite the fact that narcissus bulbs, like many other plants of the amaryllis family, contain a large number of toxins, it is sometimes used in folk medicine. Mastitis was treated with a gruel made from narcissus bulbs. Essential oil obtained from flowers is used in cosmetology and perfumery.

Air humidity

You can spray the leaves if the indoor air becomes too dry. Do not allow drops of water to fall on the flower and buds when spraying. During the flowering period, it is better to use a tray with wet gravel or a special humidifier to increase humidity. Do not place plants near doorways - they do not like drafts. 

Watering

The bulbs are kept in a cool, dark and dry place until planting. After planting, water the narcissus carefully so that the soil dries thoroughly between waterings. As the leaves develop, the frequency of watering is gradually increased, but the top layer of soil must have time to dry out even during the period of growth and flowering.

After flowering and as the leaves die, watering should become less abundant and more frequent. When the above-ground part dies off, the bulbs should be kept in barely moist soil.

Each watering should be plentiful, since the bulb is located quite deep and moisture must also reach the roots. After watering, excess water must be drained from the pan.

Water should not stand in the pan after watering. After flowering, watering is gradually reduced and by the time the plant’s leaves begin to die, it should already be in almost dry soil. 

Pests and diseases

Excessive watering will cause the bulbs to rot. Insufficient air movement and high humidity lead to diseases such as gray mold and fusarium. Penicillosis sometimes appears. Viral diseases often appear as various spots and colored stripes on the leaves, the buds and flowers of such specimens are sometimes deformed. Such diseases include ring spot, mosaic virus and various stripes. Plants infected with viruses cannot be treated - they are immediately dug up and destroyed.

Pests include nematodes, mealybugs, aphids, nematodes, and spider mites. When grown in open ground, onion hoverflies, onion root mites, cutworm butterfly caterpillars, mole crickets, slugs and snails, narcissus flies, and wireworms may appear. 

Note, signs and beliefs

All parts of the plant are very toxic.

There are many legends and beliefs associated with this flower. The most famous legend, of course, is the myth of Narcissus - a narcissistic, selfish young man who fell in love with a nymph named Echo. The young man did not reciprocate the girl's love and, in despair, she began to ask the Gods for help. The goddess Aphrodite responded to the call for help and punished Narcissus, forcing him to love his own reflection. Ultimately, the young man died from his own unrequited love, and a very beautiful bud appeared at the place of his death.

In eastern countries, the narcissus was considered a symbol of beauty and was compared to the eyes of a beloved woman. In Ancient Greece, the flower became a symbol of death and was often used in ritual ceremonies. In medieval Europe, the plant was considered a symbol of love and fidelity, family and marriage. 

Varieties:

Terry narcissus

Narcissus Cheerfulness

A variety with double flowers of white, yellow or cream shade. Peduncles reach a height of about 45 cm and each produces several flowers with a diameter of up to 8 cm. Flowering is long-lasting - lasts up to 3 weeks and begins early - already at the end of April. During the flowering period, the plants emit a pleasant aroma.

Narcissus Replete

Medium-sized plants 35 - 40 cm high with large double flowers with a diameter of up to 12 - 15 cm. The variety is characterized by white outer petals and a peach or even pinkish tint to the crown.

Narcissus Dick Wilden

Large-flowered double beauties with bright, yellow buds. Unfortunately, it is the size of the flower that is often a disadvantage - after rain, the flower stalks, unable to withstand the weight of the buds, can lie on the ground. Flowering is very early - often the flowers bloom immediately after the snow has melted. The crown is painted in a darker shade.

Narcissus Delnashaugh

Bulbous perennials with long and fairly wide, bluish-green leaves that contrast well with large flowers. The buds are double, the petals are painted white, while the corrugated crown has a delicate peach tint. Flowering usually occurs in late April - early May. The plants reach a height of 45 cm.

Narcissus Bridal Crown

A late-flowering variety that decorates itself with buds in the second half of May. The plants have beautiful double flowers with white petals and a bright orange crown. Plant height varies from 30 to 50 cm, depending on the conditions. Interesting. that as the flowers fade, the crown gradually becomes pinkish.

Narcissus Acropolis

Low plants, reaching 35 cm with double ones. large buds of snow-white color with an orange center. Unfortunately, the plants have a short flowering period and quickly lose their attractiveness. Flowering occurs at the end of April - the first ten days of May.

Narcissus Westward

Variety with bright colors. large, double flowers, flowering, as a rule. comes in May. The height of the plants, depending on the conditions, can be 35 - 45 cm. The buds have both a large number of white petals and a terry crown of a bright orange or yellow hue. 

Narcissus Madison

A densely double variety, the flowers of which bloom in the second half of April - early May and reach a diameter of 10 cm. The bushes reach a height of 50 cm.

Orchid narcissus

Narcissus 'Apricot Whirl'

Large-flowered, so-called “orchid narcissus”. Orchids are narcissus with a large crown, deeply cut and bent back, which is often compared in length to the petals of a flower. The variety is characterized by large flowers with white petals and a large, peach or pinkish crown. Despite such an exotic appearance, the variety is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and resistance even to very severe frosts.

Narcissus Chanterelle

A light-loving variety of narcissus orchids with large, brightly colored flowers with white petals and a bright yellow crown. The diameter of the buds reaches 10 cm, while the height of the plants is 30 - 40 cm.

Narcissus Mondragon

Large-flowered variety - the diameter of the flowers approaches 10 cm, and the plants themselves reach a height of about 40 cm. It belongs to the orchid group. the bushes have flowers with dark yellow petals and an orange, large, split crown.

Tazetta narcissus

Taceta or multi-flowered narcissus are bulbous plants characterized by the presence of several buds on each flower stalk. The flowers are bright, usually small in size. The main purpose of tacet narcissus is to cut and use in bouquets or forcing - to obtain a flowering bush for any holiday. In the conditions of the Middle Zone, the bulbs of these plants must be dug up in the fall and stored indoors until spring - they cannot tolerate frost. The variety is characterized by fairly early flowering; plants can reach 15 - 45 cm in height.

Narcissus Minnow

Multi-flowered or taceta narcissus is compact in size - plant height often does not exceed 15 - 20 cm. Peduncles in this variety may appear before the leaves form. The variety is classified as small-flowered - the diameter of the buds is only about 2.5 cm, but there can be up to 6 - 8 of them on each peduncle. The flower petals are white, the crown is orange, bright.

Narcissus Geranium

Small-flowered tacet narcissus up to 40 cm high, erect and strong. leafless peduncles, at the top of which there are several small flowers. The buds have boiling white petals and a bright orange crown. With good care, plants can form up to 6 flowers on each peduncle.

Narcissus Pipit

The variety is small in size - even adult bushes do not exceed 20 cm in height. The color of the flowers is very interesting - they have cream or light yellow petals with a white center and a very light, yellow or white, corrugated crown. The flowers reach 5 cm in diameter; each peduncle can contain several buds.

Narcissus Erlicheer

A multi-flowered, early-blooming perennial with small but very attractive double flowers. The plants are medium-sized - reaching a height of 35 - 40 cm. Interestingly, each peduncle can bear up to 15 flowers with a diameter of only 3 - 4 cm.

Narcissus tazetta 'Canaliculatus'

A variety with small but very brightly colored flowers with white petals and a small orange crown. The height of the plants reaches only 30 cm, and the diameter of the flowers can be up to 10 cm.

Large-crowned narcissus

Narcissus Fortune

The variety is characterized by large-crowned flowers of bright yellow color. The crown is painted in a rich orange hue and has corrugated edges. The plants have large flowers, the diameter of which often reaches 8 - 9 cm.

Narcissus Salome

A large-flowered variety, the bushes of which reach a height of 35 - 40 cm. The buds are white, with thin, translucent petals. The crown reaches a length of 3 cm and has beautiful corrugated edges. An interesting feature of the variety is that as it fades, the crown changes its shade from light yellow to orange and rich pink.

Narcissus Fortissimo

Large-crowned narcissus with fairly late flowering - buds form in the second half of May. Flowers with yellow petals and a wide, corrugated orange crown. The flowers reach 10 cm in diameter.

Narcissus Pimpernel

The large-crowned, brightly colored flowers of this variety have yellow petals and a large, orange crown. The plants reach a height of 40 cm and are characterized by fairly high frost resistance.

Narcissus Kedron

The plants are characterized by very bright flowers with peach petals and a small orange crown in the center. The plants reach only 15 cm in height.

Cyclamenoid narcissus

Plants with early flowering and interesting buds. The petals of such narcissus are bent back, and the flowers often have a very long and narrow crown. The buds of cyclamen-shaped narcissus resemble cyclamen flowers, which is why the plants got their name. The bushes reach only 25 cm in height.

Narcissus Jetfire

The variety is characterized by fairly wide, green leaves and small but bright flowers, slightly lowered to the ground surface. The buds have dark yellow petals and a long orange crown, which is often darker inside.

Small-crowned narcissus

Plants with rather late flowering form small buds with a crown of modest size. when grown in the middle zone, they will need shelter, as they do not tolerate light and harsh winters well.

Narcissus Recurvus

The variety is characterized by fairly late flowering - the last buds can bloom even in June. During the flowering period, the bushes emit a pleasant aroma. The flowers are small, with snow-white petals and a small yellow, corrugated crown, the edges of which are surrounded by a bright, red border. 

Narcissus Triandrus

Early flowering bulbous perennials with compact sizes - plant height does not exceed 25 cm. The variety is characterized by the presence on each peduncle of several small flowers with petals bent back. The flowers are colored yellow, white or orange and emit a pleasant aroma. In the central zone, it is better to dig up the bulbs and store them indoors; in more southern regions, plants can overwinter outdoors with shelter.

Narcissus Hawera

Triandus narcissus with small but bright yellow flowers. Each peduncle can contain up to 4 - 6 buds. Flowers reach a diameter of 2 - 3 cm. The height of the plant is only 15 - 17 cm. Flowering later.

Small-flowered narcissus

Narcissus Paperwhites

Compact perennials up to 25 cm high with hard, erect, dark green leaves and small, white flowers. The variety is characterized by late flowering, which occurs at the end of May - the first ten days of June. The buds reach 2 - 3 cm in diameter, but each peduncle can contain up to 10 flowers with a pleasant aroma. The crown is white, small, the stamens are painted bright orange. This variety is often used for growing and forcing indoors.

Tubular narcissus

Plants with early flowering are classified as large-flowered. Such narcissus are characterized by a large and long crown.

Narcissus Sagitta

The height of the plant can reach 40 cm, the bushes have fairly wide bluish-green leaves and strong peduncles, which are crowned with drooping large flowers. The buds have yellow petals and a large orange crown. 

Narcissus with a split crown

Narcissus Parisienne

Tall plants, reaching 65 cm, with bluish-green leaves and peduncles, on top of which there are single, large flowers. The petals of the buds are painted a snow-white hue, while the large, wide-open crown is a bright orange color. The flowers reach 10 cm in diameter.

Narcissus bulbocodium

A variety characterized by compact bush sizes. Plants have thin, green, often lodging leaves. The peduncles are strong, vertical, reaching a height of 15 - 20 cm. The flowers are white or yellow in color, characterized by very small petals, barely noticeable behind the large crown. The crown is wide open, resembles a gramophone in shape, and has beautiful wavy edges. Flowering occurs in May.

Narcissus jonquilla

Late flowering plants, characterized by the presence of several buds on tall peduncles. During the flowering period, bushes of this variety emit a very intense, pleasant aroma. The flowers have a small crown. Unfortunately, the frost resistance of this variety leaves much to be desired.