Narcissus

Narcissus abscissus

A distinct bicoloured species with soft yellow petals contrasted with deep, dark yellow trumpets, which are notable for being straight-sided and not flared in any way.

This lack of flare makes it look as if the trumpet has been cut across the mouth (abscised) with pinking shears.

A hardy, late flowering, mountain plant raised from a collection made near Gavarnie in the French Pyrenees.

Narcissus abscissusnarabsabs	£5.50

Narcissus albidus

This is the form from the Rif of Morocco. A classic hoop-petticoat type flower characterised by having petals which are longer than the trumpet.

A further character is that the flower buds are sheathed with a violet-brown spathe rather than the greenish-white of cantabricus (which along with romieuxii is its closest relative). The plant looks something like a more robust, up-facing version of N. hedraeanthus.

Flower colour varies from very pale yellow to yellowish-cream, it is not, and never should be white, that is just the name of the plant.

Readily grown in an alpine-house pan or choice, sunny, well-drained spot outdoors.

Narcissus albidus SF.110naralbalbsf110	£2.90
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Narcissus bulbocodium

An excellent and robust form of the hoop-petticoat for the garden. Bright golden flowers on stiff 15cm stems. Can be potted but is excellent for naturalising outside in short carefully managed turf. It can be seen in masses at the RHS gardens in just such a site. Vigorous cultivated stock.

Narcissus bulbocodiumnarbulbul	£0.30

Narcissus bulbocodium obesus

Rarely offered this tetraploid form from southern Portugal has narrow, prostrate leaves and short stems with large flowers of bright golden yellow. Reputed to do well in limey soils, however all of our Narcissus grow in slightly limey soils here.

Narcissus bulbocodium obesusnarbulobe	£0.00

Narcissus bulbocodium paucinervis

Pale primrose to cream hoop-petticoat flowers with quite a large, shallow, flaring, almost translucent trumpet. The flowers are accompanied by slender foliage and are borne through the winter months.

Best under glass but this is only because it is where it can be appreciated. It is hardy here and it is both robust and a good grower when it likes the site. All of this despite its north African home.

Narcissus bulbocodium paucinervisnarbulpau	£2.75
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Narcissus bulbocodium praecox

Good strong yellow verging rarely to primrose or cream. These are typical hoop-petticoat flowers with a widely flaring trumpet borne, in this early form, from November to January.

We grow it outside in a south facing raised bed. Robust and a good grower, hardy here despite its north African home.

Narcissus bulbocodium praecoxnarbulpra	£5.00

Narcissus calcicola

A great rarity, limited in the wild to just a handful of localities. Despite this rarity, it grows and increases well by seed and division in cultivation.

A dwarf jonquil species with narrow, blue tinged leaves sitting below a comparatively large, miniature flower of pure, bright yellow, with a broad shallow cup. This blossom has a delicious, light yet pervading, scent of violets.

Loam based soil, full sun in lime or acid soil, despite its natural home on the limestones of Western Portugal.

Narcissus calcicolanarcalcal	£5.50

Narcissus cantabricus Atlas form

Originally found at high altitude in the Atlas Mountains of North Africa but now bred through several generations in cultivation.

This has good sized flowers, slightly more tubular than the Spanish forms and, in some plants, the slightest hint of cream in the flowers. Equally lovely, just different to the other forms.

Narcissus cantabricus Atlas formnarcanatl	£3.50
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Narcissus cantabricus cantabricus

A new garden stock of this superb species from southern Spain with pure white, hoop-petticoats very early in the spring, indeed sometimes in winter rather than spring, all over attractive curling narrow leaves.

Likes sun and good drainage, but happy here outside.

Narcissus cantabricus cantabricusnarcancan	£4.00

Narcissus cantabricus tananicus

The true plant from Ida-ou-Tanane. Large conical flowers are pure white with a hint of yellow-green at the very base of the cone.

This is one of the largest of the white hoop-petticoats and is a stunning little thing. Flowering outside very early in the year but fully hardy with us, or you can enjoy it in a pan under glass.

No special conditions, well-drained loam-based soil is excellent.

Narcissus cantabricus tananicusnarcantan	£4.00

Narcissus cazorlanus

bulbocodium x triandrus

A fabulous miniature plant, only some 15cm tall, but combining the best of two excellent species. The petals are narrow and held almost sideways, being intermediate between the minuscule, forward-facing petals of the bulbocodium parent and the wider reflexed petals of triandrus.

The lip shape is again intermediate, forming a broad-based, slightly flaring cone. The overall flower colour is a very pleasing, slightly soft butter-yellow, again a meld of bright gold and soft cream in the parentage. There is a little variability however, as our photograph shows.

This cross is known from several occurrences in the wild and although each has been given a pointless botanical name we have stayed with the overall name for the wider cross.

Sunny, well-drained spot outside (with due attention to its 15cm height) in a fertile loam, or excellent in a pot in the alpine house.

Narcissus cazorlanusnarcazcaz	£5.50
flowering sized (but naturally small)

Narcissus Cedric Morris

Apparently a selected form of N. minor this cultivar looks much more like a large asturiensis. Whatever its status it has bright yellow, perfect miniature daffodil flowers with a distinctly "waisted" trumpet and a tiny green mark on the exterior. What sets it apart however is its wonderful early-flowering habit. As a rule Cedric Morris is a Christmas flowering plant, although Nov-Feb may be a fairer range for some of our international customers. The true plant is rarely available (yes as always there are changelings) so that we are delighted to have a small stock after several years work.

Narcissus Cedric Morrisnarcedmor	£6.50

Narcissus cordubensis

Up to five, deep but bright gold flowers (darker than jonquilla) with a phenomenal heavy scent, from mid-March to April.

A dependable and reliable species flowering freely outside in the garden, where it is best sited in a fertile moist soil for the best results.

Narcissus cordubensisnarcorcor	£5.50
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Narcissus cuatrecasasii segimonensis

For many years Narcissus cuatrecasasii was known as "rupicola pedunculatus". It was recognised as a distinct in 1973. Related to N. rupicola but with wider, grey-green leaves and it is more robust. In addition it can sometimes carry more than one flower per scape, held on much longer pedicels. The corona in cuatrecasasii is not lobed (it is in rupicola).

The gardener will esteem it for its small size, neat growth and vivid and intense yellow, highly fragrant flowers which are readily produced. Fertile, well-drained, loam-based compost. It grows outside with us here, but can also be pot-grown if you wish.

In the wild it has a limited distribution around Cazorla and in the Magina Mountains. Our stock is traceable the Sierra Magina in S. Spain. The subspecies there is segimonensis, but we can see no differences between this and ssp cuatrecasasii from further east in the Sierra Segura. Because it is an accepted name and they originally came from the Sierra Magina, (from where segimonensis was described) we have kept the name.

Narcissus cuatrecasasii is named for the Spanish botanist Dr. José Cuatrecasas (1903-1996)

Narcissus cuatrecasasiinarcuacua	£6.50
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Narcissus cupularis

A rare and little known species from Sardinia with pale to lemon yellow, sweetly-scented flowers and glaucous grey-blue leaves. These are propagated from a collection made many years ago by Dr. T. Norman, the very plants discussed by John Blanchard in his excellent book Narcissus.

Narcissus cupularisnarcupcup	£6.00