Description
Originally described from Spain in 1882 as a natural (wild) hybrid between Narcissus serotinus and Narcissus cavanillesii (which was then called Narcissus humilis). In fact the “serotinus” parent was not what is now acknowledged as serotinus, but it was one of the other (of the two) species masquerading under that name – Narcissus obsoletus and deficiens.
This has lovely, up-facing primrose yellow flowers on 10-15 cm stems with the tiniest of golden trumpets (almost just a ring of floral tissue) in the centre of the flower. Several flowers can be produced once a bulb is established and left undisturbed. A well-drained but quite heavy, loam-based soil in a sunny spot seems good. If grown in a pot, then do plunge it and top dress rather than re-pot. Feeding will help build bulb size and promote flowering.
There is a great deal of botanical activity revolving around this name and the accurate botanical names of its parents. To call it confusing ignores the stupidity of much of the recent botanical name-changing. Thus we are offering this as the “old” plant under the “old” name, so you know what you are getting and you can then call it what you wish.
The wild cross is also known now from Portugal where it is extremely rare. Indeed the cavanillesii parent, though common enough in parts of Spain, is critically endangered in Portugal. (where, as an aside, the conservation solution to its rarity was to submerge its main known habitat under the rising waters of the Alqueva dam).
I have only ever seen this in the wild growing in stabilised inland dunes in Cadiz province, s.w. Spain. There it grew in compacted dune sand, with both parents present within the general area, though not seemingly ever growing inter-mixed or together due, I assume, to differing ecological requirements.
We grow two stocks one from Alicante province, one from further north around Valencia. Both stocks stem from vegetative horticultural increase from the original material, these are not wild collected.
