BOTANICAL NAME
Narcissus spp.  (nar-SIS-us)

COMMON NAMES
Daffodil, Jonquil, Polyanthus Narcissus
(Note: “Daffodil” is the correct common name for all species in the Narcissus genus; “jonquil” refers to one particular species, N. jonquilla; and “polyanthus Narcissus” is the common name of the miniature multiflowered species, N. tazetta, which includes the ‘Grand Soleil d’Or’ and ‘Paper-white’ varieties.)

DESCRIPTION
Narcissus blooms, which are atop hollow, slender, leafless stems and face perpendicular to the stems when open (the gooseneck stage), have petals fused to the base of a trumpet-shaped cup (corona). Blooms can be single (with six petals) or double (12 or more petals), and they can occur individually (the larger-flowered species) or in clusters (the miniature-flowered species). Cups can range from small to large and from shallow to deep.

Although the slender stems, which typically range from 12 to 24 inches in length, depending on variety, are leafless, these plants do have basal straplike foliage, which grows from the tops of the bulbs alongside the stems.

COLORS
Narcissi are available with yellow, orange, peach, pink, white, cream or greenish petals, with yellow, orange, peach, salmon, pink, white, cream or bicolor cups.

DECORATIVE LIFE
Potted Narcissi can last from five to 14 days, depending on variety, maturity of blooms at the time of purchase, care received and environmental conditions (see “In-Store and Consumer Care”).

AVAILABILITY
Depending on species, Narcissus plants are generally available from November through April.

in-store and consumer care

LIGHT
Potted Narcissi prefer bright filtered or indirect sunlight (no direct sun). (See “Challenges” for more information.)

WATER
These bulbs require moderately moist soil at all times, but avoid letting pots stand in water.

TEMPERATURE
Cool indoor environments are required—ideally, 60 F to 65 F during the day, 50 F to 55 F at night. In store, these plants can be displayed or stored in a floral cooler at 33 F to 41 F for up to three days; extended cold storage, however, can cause leaf yellowing and reduce longevity.

ETHYLENE SENSITIVITY
Narcissi are moderately sensitive to ethylene, so ensure that your plants are treated with an antiethylene agent at the grower or during shipping.

FERTILIZER
Potted Narcissi don’t require fertilizer because, essentially, all of the food they need is stored in the bulbs.

GROWING MEDIA
In addition to pots with soil, these bulbs can be grown indoors in containers with only gravel and water (see feature on pages 27-28 in the February 2011 issue).

REBLOOMING
Narcissus bulbs will not rebloom indoors, so after they have finished blooming, advise consumers to remove the bulbs from the pot; allow them to dry; remove the dead foliage; store the bulbs in a cool, dry place; and plant them outdoors in the fall. ‘Paper-white’ bulbs are best discarded after blooming.

challenges

PESTS AND DISEASES
Occurrences are rare, but spider mites and aphids can infest these plants.

BUDS FAIL TO OPEN
This problem is usually the result of inconsistent and/or insufficient watering and low humidity.

LONG, LIMP STEMS / LEAVES
Causes include insufficient light and/or high temperatures.

YELLOW LEAVES
Hot or cold drafts, incorrect watering (too much or too little) and/or insufficient light are the usual reasons.

NO FLOWERS
Storage at too high temperatures and/or small, poor-quality bulbs are common causes.


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Some information provided by:

Chain of Life Network® , www.chainoflife.org
Complete Houseplant Survival Manual, The, by Barbara Pleasant
Houseplant Encyclopedia, The, by Ingrid Jantra and Ursula Krüger
House Plant Expert, The, by Dr. D.G. Hessayon
Hortus Third, by Liberty Hyde Bailey and Ethel Zoe Bailey
SAF Flower & Plant Care, by Terrill A. Nell, Ph.D., and Michael S. Reid, Ph.D.
Spring-Flowering Bulbs, by Dr. A.A. De Hertogh

Photos: Flower Council of Holland