Featured Plant of the Week (Daffodils)

August 19, 2011

Daffodils

For decades Nurserymen's Exchange has sold bulbs. In fact the company got its start in 1941 with its founders, Carl and Virginia Pearlstein, selling bulbs out of the back of their station wagon. Today, Nurserymen's has grown far beyond these humble beginnings, transforming into one of the nation's largest plant wholesalers. However, one thing that has not changed in all those years is that we still sell bulbs.

Daffodils are spring-flowering bulbs native to Europe, North Africa, and Asia. The formal botanical name of the genus is Narcissus. Narcissus was a youth in Greek mythology known for his vanity. The story is that Narcissus became so obsessed with his own reflection as he kneeled and gazed into a pool of water, that he fell into the pool and drowned. The myth then goes that the first daffodils sprang from where he died. The name Narcissus is used commonly, though obviously so is daffodil. In some places it's called jonquil, but technically this should only refer to one species of the plant.

All Narcissus species have a trumpet, or bowl shaped corona in their center. Surrounding that is six petals that come in a wide array of shapes and colors. Some varieties have coronas that split to look like multiple petals; others have a corona that forms a sort of hoop or bell shape. Some daffodils have a wind swept look, with their petals growing back away from the corona, and others still will grow clusters of flowers on one stem.

At BloomRite Gardens® we're currently offering Yellow Trumpet, the classic daffodil. Yellow petals and a yellow horn-shaped corona combine to create a bright and audacious flower that is instantly recognizable. Unfortunately crop constrictions are preventing the availability of other varieties that we usually carry, such as Scarlet Royal or White Lion. However, we will be stocking Paper Whites, so stay tuned for those.

Caring for daffodils is widely considered to be quite easy. There are a couple of tricks though to promote greater flower growth. The first is to make sure to plant them once the weather cools. If it's still warm, keep them in storage. Second is to not remove yellowing foliage right away. This seems counter intuitive, but daffodils will draw and store vital nutrients from the leaves before they die, so removing them hampers flower growth in the following season. Last, deadhead the flowers when they begin to die off. This is not necessary, but will encourage the plant to store more energy for next spring instead of spending it producing seeds. Of course you can skip deadheading if you want the daffodils to spread faster. Otherwise simply make sure they receive bright light or indirect sun, and keep their soil moist.

You can find bags of Yellow Trumpet at BloomRite® Gardens right now for $39.95 per bag. Each bag contains approximately 240 bulbs. Bulbs cannot be sold individually.