tubergianum—A newly introduced species, with the top flowers turning lighter, and the lower ones darker. (Mid-April.)
CARE. Soil deep, rich, and sandy. Drainage. Sun or light shade.
PROPAGATION. Offsets, seeds.
SPECIAL USES. Forcing, rock gardens.
Narcissus Amaryllidaceae Daffodil
It is very unlikely that the average gardener realizes how many varieties in the narcissus world are under six inches in height at maturity. One catalogue lists over two hundred names of little varieties for little gardens. Obviously, only a few can be mentioned here.
bulbocodium—hoop-skirt daffodil—The “trumpet” is drawn in a bit at the mouth, making it more like a balloon than a trumpet. Six smallish petals twist and turn shyly behind. All varieties are under six inches tall. Among the smallest are three-inch, scented, white-flowering monophyllus (for forcing only); obesus, with a fat yellow trumpet; tunifolium, smaller, brighter, and later than the species; and scented vulgaris nivalis, the smallest of all at two to three inches and very early. The variety conspicuus is the easiest to grow and about four inches tall.
cyclamineus—The nodding trumpets are long and slim, the petals fold straight back around the stem, giving a feeling of motion. The species is all yellow and about four inches high. Among the smallest hybrids are ‘Milky-White,’ ‘Yindee,’ ‘Minicycla,’ deep yellow ‘Jetage,’ and ‘Flute.’
jonquilla—Like the familiar jonquils, these are usually scented and have small, flattish cups with a neat ruff of flat petals around the neck. The variety atlanticus is pure white and four inches high; the variety juncifolius is three inches high and has several scented yellow flowers per stem. ‘Peachblossom’ is similar and one inch taller.
tazetta—Similar to jonquils, but the cups are even smaller and flatter. They are mostly early flowering and have several blooms to a stem. The species is twelve inches tall, but the variety lacticolor (canaliculatas) is only four inches, with yellow cup and white petals that flare back. ‘Halenzy’ combines pale yellow and white. ‘Shrew’ is the tiniest.