Spring bloom in the CA mountains and "daffodils and narcissus"

DaveKarn@aol.com DaveKarn@aol.com
Fri, 11 Mar 2005 08:27:03 PST
In a message dated 3/11/05 7:59:06 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
Nancy.Gilbert@beale.af.mil writes:

> Almost all the various daffodils and narcissus . . . are blooming now.

Hello all ~

While I would very much like to see what Nancy and the others have seen 
growing and blooming in the wild, it probably won't be for some time, alas, as this 
is one of the busiest times of the year for me. 

I grow daffodils.  And have for nearly six decades.  All through that time I 
have found a confusion being perpetuated everywhere -- and most prominently by 
the Dutch (who really should know better!).  I rather imagine, however, it 
was they who started this business of "daffodil" referring only to the early 
yellow trumpet daffodil and "narcissus" to the white perianth examples with 
colored coronas.  The fact of the matter is that all daffodils are narcissus and 
all narcissus are daffodils.  Daffodil is the commonly used term to refer to all 
forms of the genus Narcissus (the botanical descriptor).  In other words, the 
two terms refer to the same thing.  

Just to confuse things further, on the other hand, as one travels in the 
Southeastern US and the southern states, one encounters a further, regional 
confusion of all yellow daffodils being referred to as "jonquils."  And, if that 
wasn't enough, getting into the TX, AR, LA region, you'll find yellow "jonquils" 
being called buttercups!  Technically, jonquils are a specific group of hybrid 
daffodils (RHS Classification, Division 7) based on hybridization between 
standard daffodils and the several species and forms of N. jonquilla (and allied 
species and forms).

Just for fun, I grow a few of the Division 7 daffodil clone 'Buttercup.'  I 
have always been tickled by the observation of this that is both a daffodil and 
a narcissus, of course, but it is also a jonquil and, to boot, a Buttercup . 
. .   

All best,
Dave Karnstedt
Cascade Daffodils
Silverton, Oregon, USA   97381-0237
email:  davekarn@aol.com
Cool Mediterranean climate with (except this year!) cool/cold and wet Winters 
and hot, dry Summers . . . USDA Z 7-8


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