Narcissus is a genus in the Amaryllidaceae family native to Europe, North Africa and Asia. As a popular garden plant it has been hybridized and there are new ones being introduced every year. We have been unable to find a Narcissus expert in our group to help us verify all the names attached to these photographs. There seems to be a lot of disagreement about what are the correct species names and whether some of the named taxa should have separate status. If we are not sure of the name we have left the name the contributor used when adding the photos. Photographs of the species M-Z will be found below.
Narcissus minor 'Cedric Morris' is a selection of Narcissus minor named in the 1950s. It is in bloom at Christmas time in California. Photo by John Lonsdale.
Narcissus obesus also known as N. bulbocodium ssp. obesus, is a late-flowering "hoop petticoat" species distinguished by its undulating, prostrate foliage and large golden flowers on short stems. The first clone shown, vigorous and free-flowering, was given to Oregon gardener Molly Grothaus by British daffodil expert Frank Waley. Photo by Jane McGary. The second photo was taken by John Lonsdale.
Narcissus pallidiflorus is native to Spain. The flower is quite large, but its stems are rather short. The illustrated plants were grown from wild-collected seed and show a little variation in color, some being all pale yellow and some showing the more typical darker corona. Grown in a raised bed in Oregon, flowering in March. Photo by Jane McGary.
Narcissus papyraceus is the pure-white member of the tazetta group. It is named after papyrus, from which the ancient Egyptians made their paper - thus the common name "Paper-white". A beautifully scented bulb which comes from the southern countries bordering the Mediterranean and Morocco, where this plant was collected. Photo #1 by David Victor. Photos #2-3 were taken by Nhu Nguyen at the UC Botanical Garden. The plant material pictured came from Morocco.
Narcissus poeticus var. recurvus , Wild narcissus, with a very pleasant scent, growing in open woods on the hills of Northern Italy (250/750 mts.); they like a shady position and moist soil. This is the last blossoming among narcissus here, from the end of April to late May. Photos by Giorgio Pozzi, May 2005.
Narcissus pseudonarcissus from Europe is a very variable species both in size and in color (white to yellow or bicolored) and the ancestor of most part of the hybrids of the Division I. Perhaps someone can help me identify which subspecies this one is blooming in January 2005. First photo by Mary Sue Ittner, second photo by Angelo Porcelli showing a bicolored form wild collected.
Narcissus pseudonarcissus ssp. moschatus from the Pyrenees is whitish, has forward leaning petals that largely parallel the trumpet-shaped corona. This photo by Becky Matthews was taken in rural Tennessee in March 2004.
Narcissus romieuxii is very similar to Narcissus bulbocodium but is distinguished by a short pedicel and protruding stamens. Flowers are pale yellow. This is an early flowering species (winter) and is a native of Morocco. Photos by Arnold Trachtenberg and John Lonsdale.
Narcissus romieuxii flat corona . Photo by John Lonsdale.
Narcissus romieuxii 'Julia Jane' flowering in mid winter. Grown and photographed by Rob Hamilton.
Narcissus romieuxii ssp. albidus var. zaianicus is described as having upward-facing pale lemon flowers with shorter tepals than the subspecies. My plants were identified as Narcissus romieuxii var. zaianicus so may be the same plant as photographed by John Lonsdale below. Regardless of the correct name this is a very satisfactory plant, blooming well each year between late December and March, sometimes for months. Photo by Mary Sue Ittner.
Narcissus romieuxii ssp. romieuxii . Photo by John Lonsdale.
Narcissus romieuxii ssp. romieuxii var. mesatlanticus . Photo by John Lonsdale.
Narcissus romieuxii ssp. romieuxii var. rifanus flowering in January in northwestern Oregon, in a bulb frame. Purchased as seed (under the name N. riffanus) from Monocot Nursery, collector's number SL333. Native to Morocco. These plants do not have the green tips on the petals mentioned by John Blanchard in "Narcissus: A Guide to Wild Daffodils" but otherwise conform to his description. Photos by Jane McGary and John Lonsdale.
Narcissus romieuxii ssp. zaianicus . Photo by John Lonsdale.
Narcissus rupicola grows in rocky places in Spain and Portugal. It grows to 10 to 15 cm and has fragrant yellow flowers with a small cup.
Narcissus rupicola ssp. watieri is also known as N. watieri. It comes from Morocco. It is the only pure white member of its section and has a greenish throat. It flowers a little before typical N. rupicola. Hybridizers of miniature daffodils seek it, but it is well worth growing for its own sake, since it has exquisite form and increases moderately well. Shown flowering in a bulb frame in Oregon in March. Photo by Jane McGary.
Narcissus scaberulus is from Portugal. It has prostrate or coiled leaves and one to three small flowers. Photos by Alessandro Marinello.
Narcissus serotinus is a diminutive species flowering at the end of September. Usually carries 1 flower but sometimes 2, or even 3. Photos taken in habitat by Angelo Porcelli in Apulia - Italy.
Narcissus tazetta is one of the better known flowers from the Mediterranean. Much loved for its sweet scent, it has been cultivated for centuries and spread around the world. A countless number of hybrids exist. This is one of the wild fertile forms found in Italy. The first photo in habitat by Angelo Porcelli. The next photo, by Jane McGary, shows wild plants of N. tazetta on the island of Marathonisi (ancient Krinai) off Gytheion in the Peloponnese, flowering at the end of October. Plants on Crete typically flower in early spring, however. Photos #3-4 were taken by Nhu Nguyen at the UC Botanical Garden. The plant material pictured came from Israel.
The double form of tazetta called 'Double Roman' or 'Constantinople'. In spite of those who consider these two separate forms, being one totally double and the other semi-double, I found this is just a matter of feeding. All my plants regularly divided every other year and replanted in fresh soil, yield always a totally double floret with many florets per stem, while those neglected produce semidouble florets in lesser number and occasionally revert to the simple form. Photo and text by Angelo Porcelli.
Narcissus tazetta ssp. bertolonii , syn. Narcissus bertolonii, one of two subspecies reputed to be valid according to Professor S.Pignatti in his Flora d'Italia, is characterized by the yellow perianth segments (petals) and deep yellow-orange corona (cup). The other is the subspecies tazetta, with white petals and pale yellow cup. A number of intermediate forms exist, as a result of free hybridization in cultivation. This subspecies has a well defined distribution, in Tuscany, Sardinia and the lesser islands in between. This subspecies is listed in Kew as Narcissus tazetta ssp. aureus. It is thought to be the ancestor of historical tazetta hybrids with yellow petals such 'Grand Soleil d'Or'. Photo and most of the text by Angelo Porcelli
This is an old tazetta hybrid called 'Grand Primo'. It is by far the stronger grower Narcissus for me, with bulbs that can reach 10cm in diameter and often with two sturdy stalks per bulb. Photo by Angelo Porcelli.
This is the so called Narcissus tazetta italicus which is actually a sterile hybrid between Narcissus tazetta and Narcissus papyraceus, found in Italy where the two species overlap. Note that N. papyraceus isn't an Italian native, but was introduced long ago and naturalized, especially along the coasts. William Welch reports this hybrid has been also named 'Stars' and 'Straw White', while Scott Ogden adds 'Minor Monarch' in his book. Photo by Angelo Porcelli.
This is the so called Narcissus tazetta orientalis known also as the Chinese Sacred Lily. This form occasionally comes out spontaneously from Narcissus 'Constantinople'. If the bulbs are picked and grown apart it will stay in the simple form, but after some years can revert to the double form again. It is a triploid form totally sterile and scattered in Southern Italy in all country gardens. It is thought to come from Portugal and Spain and spread to China along the Silk Route. It has a delicious scent, never unpleasant. Photo by Angelo Porcelli.
Narcissus triandrus is native to Spain and is usually represented in cultivation by the creamy white form shown in the photo. It is an adaptable plant (the one shown is growing on a peaty rock garden bed that is watered frequently in summer) and often self-sows in gardens. Photo by Jane McGary.
Narcissus viridiflorus is an autumn flowered species with green flowers. It is from Spain, Morocco, and Gibralter where it grows in rocky places. It needs a warm rest in order to flower. Photos by John Lonsdale and Alessandro Marinello.
Narcissus index - Narcissus Species A-L - Narcissus hybrids - Division 1 - Division 2 - Division 3 - Division 4 - Division 5 - Division 6 - Division 7 - Division 8 - Division 9 - Division 10 - Division 11 - Division 12 - Miniatures