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Narcissus sp.In Greek legend Narcissus was a young man who happened to see his own reflection in a fountain and became entranced by it, thinking it was the nymph who presided over the fountain. Echo, a nymph of Diana, fell in love with Narcissus, but he was too preoccupied with his love for his reflection that he ignored her. Echo was a talkative nymph that enraged Juno, who was attempting to surprise her mate, Jupiter, who was in the company of several nymphs. Echo’s mindless chatter alerted Jupiter that someone was about and he slipped away. Juno punished Echo by causing her to be unable to speak unless someone else spoke first. Narcissus, so in love with his unattainable reflection, gradually faded away until nothing was left but the beautiful flower which bears his name. The daffodil, or narcissus, is a spring flowering bulb which is quite perennial in northern gardens. North of USDA Zone 8 is their recommended range. They are native to Europe, the Mediterranean region and western Asia. Their height ranges from six to twelve inches. Flower colors are mostly various shades of yellow, but there are whites, reds, oranges, and pinks. The flowers of some varieties are sweetly scented. The daffodil boasts both single and doubled blossoms. The doubles tend to bend over in periods of heavy rain, but they are quite elegant in the daffodil garden. This spring flowering bulb is one of the first flowers to show color in the season. The daffodil blooms reliably from year to year and requires little care other than division every three or four years. The daffodil bulbs are planted in the fall, set about two inches deep. Or one and one half times the size of the bulb. Plant them slightly deeper if in doubt. The plants will start to emerge in late winter, blooming here in southeastern Indiana starts in late March. Different varieties which I have planted cause the blooming season to last four to six weeks, depending upon the weather. To divide narcissus, wait until the foliage dies down after bloom in the summer. I usually mark the ones I want to divide when they are still blooming with short stakes. With a shovel, dig all around the clump. Lift the plants out and lay on some newspaper. There will be daffodil bulbs of all sizes in the clump. Knock the dirt away from the bulbs and pull them apart carefully. Lay them out in a warm dry area out of the sun and allow the bulbs to dry. When dry, store in a mesh bag until fall. I usually start planting in September. I have planted in the garden as late as December and still gotten them to bloom in the spring. |
