of Texas Star Jonquil Narcissus x intermedius Bulb Hunter Blog

Narcissus /n?:r's?s?s/ is a genus of mainly spring perennial plants in the Amaryllidaceae (amaryllis) family. Various common titles including daffodil,[notes 1] daffadowndilly,[3] narcissus, and jonquil are used to describe all or some known members of the genus. Narcissus has conspicuous flowers with six petal-like tepals surmounted with a cup- or trumpet-shaped corona. The flowers are generally white or yellow (orange or pink in garden kinds), with either even or contrasting colored tepals and corona.

Narcissus were popular in early civilisation, both and botanically medicinally, but formally explained by Linnaeus in his Types Plantarum (1753). The genus is generally thought to have about ten parts with about 50 species. The amount of kinds has assorted, depending on how they are classified, scheduled to similarity between species and hybridization. The genus arose some time in the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene epochs, in the Iberian peninsula and adjacent areas of southwest Europe. The exact origin of the true name Narcissus is anonymous, but it is often associated with a Greek expression for intoxicated (narcotic) and the misconception of the youth of this name who fell in love with his own representation. The English term 'daffodil' is apparently derived from "asphodel", with which it was likened commonly.

The species are native to meadows and woods in southern European countries and North Africa with a middle of diversity in the Western Mediterranean, particularly the Iberian peninsula. Both cultivated and wild plants have naturalised widely, and were introduced into the Far East prior to the tenth century. Narcissi have a tendency to be long-lived bulbs, which propagate by division, but are also insect-pollinated. Known pests, diseases and disorders include viruses, fungi, the larvae of flies, mites and nematodes. Some Narcissus species have grown to be extinct, while others are threatened by increasing urbanisation and tourism.

Historical accounts suggest narcissi have been cultivated from the earliest times, but became ever more popular in Europe after the 16th century and by the overdue 19th century were an important commercial crop centred mainly on the Netherlands. Today narcissi are popular as slice bouquets so that as ornamental plant life in private and open public gardens. The long history of breeding has led to thousands of different cultivars. For horticultural purposes, narcissi are grouped into divisions, covering a wide range of shapes and colours. Like other members of the family, narcissi create a number of different alkaloids, which provide some protection for the plant, but may be poisonous if ingested inadvertently. This property has been exploited for medicinal used in traditional healing and has resulted in the production of galantamine for the treating Alzheimer's dementia. Long celebrated in literature and art work, narcissi are associated with a true number of themes in different cultures, ranging from loss of life to fortune, and as symbols of spring and coil. The daffodil is the countrywide rose of Wales and the symbol of cancer charities in many countries. The appearance of the outrageous flowers in springtime is associated with festivals in many places.

Narcissus is a genus of perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophytes, dying again after flowering to a underground storage bulb. They regrow in the following 12 months from brown-skinned ovoid bulbs with pronounced necks, and reach heights of 5-80 cm with respect to the species. Dwarf species such as N. asturiensis have a maximum level of 5-8 cm, while Narcissus tazetta may develop as tall as 80 cm.

The vegetation are scapose, having an individual central leafless hollow blossom stem (scape). Several blue-green or green, small, strap-shaped leaves happen from the light. The flower stem bears a solitary bloom, but occasionally a cluster of flowers (umbel). The plants, which can be conspicuous and white or yellow usually, sometimes both or almost never green, contain a perianth of three parts. Closest to the stem (proximal) is a floral tube above the ovary, then an outer ring made up of six tepals (undifferentiated sepals and petals), and a central disc to conical designed corona. The flowers may hang down (pendent), or be erect. A couple of six pollen bearing stamens encompassing a central style. The ovary is inferior (below the floral parts) comprising three chambers (trilocular). The berry includes a dried up capsule that splits (dehisces) releasing numerous black seed products.

The bulb sits dormant following the leaves and flower stem die back and has contractile root base that yank it down further into the soil. The rose leaves and stem form in the light bulb, to emerge the following season. Most types are dormant from summer months to past due winter, flowering in the spring and coil, though a few types are autumn flowering.

Narcissus Pictures

nice long row of Narcissus ‘Golden Dawn.’

Tinka’ remains one of my all time favorite species tulips.

SouthernEdition.com Daffodils for the Deep South

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