Plant of the Month: February

Narcissus cyclamineus Common name: Cyclamen-flowered daffodil Family: Amaryllidaceae Vital statistics Height and spread: 15-20cm (6-8in) x 8cm (3in). Form: Bulbous perennial Soil: Moderately fertile, well-drained and moist during the growing season. Hardiness:  Fully hardy to half hardy.

Narcissus cyclamineus @ Rosemoor

This lovely little daffodil has been bred in vast quantities at Rosemoor (both from seed and by bulb chipping) for many years, and we now have several really wonderful large groups naturalised in grass, in the Stream and Lake fields as well as on the Woodland Bank in Lady Anne's Garden.

Narcissus

This is a genus of about 27 species from a variety of habitats in Europe and North Africa, usually found in meadows, woodlands, river silts and rock crevices.

The genus is named after the beautiful youth of classical Greek mythology who became so entranced with his own reflection that he pined away and was turned into a flower by the gods. The word is possibly originally derived from an ancient Iranian language.

All Narcissus are grown for their attractive flowers, borne usually in spring, but sometimes in autumn or winter. There are thousands of cultivars.

Leaves are basal and strap-shaped or cylindrical and 15-75cm (6-30in) long, depending on the species.

Flowers are borne on leafless stems, 1-20 flowers per stem, depending on the species. Each flower has six petals surrounding the corona (cup or trumpet), which can be flat or long and narrow. The colour is usually yellow or white, occasionally green with some having red, orange or pink coronas. Some are fragrant.

Most daffodils are suitable for planting in a woodland garden, between shrubs, in containers or naturalized in grass and the smaller species are suitable for rock gardens.

Contact with the sap may irritate skin or aggravate skin allergies.

For horticultural purposes, daffodils are split into 12 divisions, of which Cyclamineus is one.

Narcissus cyclamineus          

This species has one flower per stem, each acutely angled to the stem and with petals that are reflexed (point away from the cup) and a long cup or trumpet. They are early and mid-spring flowering. Cultivars derived from the species include:

N. 'Bartley' has long lasting golden yellow flowers in early spring which are 6cm (2.5in) across and 40cm (16in) tall.

N. 'Beryl' is a vigorous daffodil flowering in early spring with flowers 7.5cm (3in) across and growing 20cm (8in) tall. The flowers open yellow but fade to creamy white and the corona is small and yellow-orange.

N. 'Charity May' AGM has lemon-yellow flowers in early spring and grows to 30cm (12in). The flowers have broad petals and are 9cm (3.5in) across.

N. 'Little Witch' is vigorous with long-lasting golden yellow flowers, 4cm (1.5in) across and grows 22cm (9in) tall.

AGM The RHS Daffodil and Tulip Committee awarded Narcissus cyclamineus an Award of Garden Merit and described it as: Vigorous bulbous perennial to 20cm tall, with narrow, rich green leaves and bright yellow flowers with narrow, reflexed perianth segments and slender trumpets.

Cultivation

Plant bulbs at one and a half times their own depth in autumn, slightly deeper in grass and light soils.

N. cyclamineus prefers neutral to acid soil.

For bulbs naturalized in grass, delay the first cut until the seeds have dispersed.

For indoor display, plant bulbs 5cm (2in) deep in early autumn in loamless or John Innes no 2 compost. Keep in a cold frame until roots are established and shoots appear. Keep cool and moist and protect from frost. Move to a cool greenhouse in full light and gradually increase the temperature initially to 10ºC (50ºF) and then up to no more than 18ºC (64ºF) when flowering.

Water freely and apply a half strength high-potash fertilizer weekly. Bring indoors as the buds begin to open.

Narcissus are prone to large narcissus bulb fly, narcissus eelworm, slugs, narcissus basal rot and other fungal infections and viruses. Forced bulbs may be damaged by bulb scale mite.

Propagation

Cultivars do not come true from seed, so separate and replant offsets of these as leaves fade in early summer.