Horticulture/Narcissus

Narcissus is the Latin name for a group of hardy, mostly spring-flowering, bulbs. There are several Narcissus species that bloom in the autumn. Daffodil is the common English name for all narcissus. The botanic name of the genus is Narcissus. They are mostly native to the Mediterranean region, but a few species are found through Central Asia to China. The range of forms in cultivation has been heavily modified and extended, with new variations available in nurseries practically every year.

The name Narcissus is derived from that of the narcissistic youth of Greek mythology, Narkissos. Though "Narcissi" is sometimes given in dictionaries as the grammatically correct plural of "Narcissus", The American Daffodil Society prefers the use of "narcissus" for both singular and plural. (the Webster's Third New International Dictionary gives "narcissus", "narcissuses" and lastly "narcissi" as plural forms)

The name Daffodil is derived from an earlier "affodell", a variant of asphodel. The reason for the introduction of the initial "d" is not known, although a probable source is an etymological merging from the Dutch article "de," as in "de affodil". From at least the sixteenth century "Daffadown Dilly" or "daffadowndilly" has appeared as a playful synonym of the name.

Narcissus are sometimes called jonquils in North America, but strictly speaking that name belongs only to the rush-leaved ../Narcissus jonquilla/ and cultivars derived from it.

Paperwhites refer to the species ../Narcissus papyraceus/.

Description
The flowers have a central trumpet-shaped corona surrounded by a ring of petals. The traditional daffodil has a golden yellow color all over, but the corona may often feature a contrasting color. Breeders have developed some daffodils with a double or triple row of petals, making them resemble a small golden ball. Other cultivars have frilled petals, or an elongated or compressed central corona.

The foliage is simple, straplike with linear veination, fleshy, juicy, hollow, more or less glaucus.

Daffodils are poisonous, and if eaten could result in death.

Growing conditions
Moist, fertile, well-drained. To avoid disease problems do not irrigate in summer.

Types
The horticultural divisions include:
 * Trumpet daffodils
 * Large-cupped daffodils
 * Small-cupped daffodils
 * Double daffodils
 * Triandrus daffodils
 * Cyclamineus daffodils
 * Jonquilla daffodils
 * Tazetta (Poetaz or Bunch-flowered) daffodils
 * Poeticus (Poet's) daffodils
 * Bulbocodium daffodils
 * Split-corona daffodils
 * Other daffodils which don't fit the above divisions
 * Species and wild hybrids
 * Miniature daffodils are found in all divisions.

Species

 * ../Narcissus papyraceus/
 * ../Narcissus tazetta/

Uses
Cut flowers.

The daffodil serves as the national flower of Wales. One species, ../Narcissus obvallaris/, grows only in a small area around Tenby. In Wales it is traditional to wear a daffodil on Saint David's Day (March 1).

The flower is a common decoration flower during Chinese New Year.

Various Cancer Societies around the world use the Daffodil as fundraising symbol. "Daffodil Days" are organised to raise funds by offering the flowers in return for a donation. Is used to develop a large number of hybrids and cultivars. Modern daffodil cultivars are important ornamental crops. The bulb, leaf, and flower are used to make medicine. They are used  for whooping cough, colds, and asthma. It is also used to the skin, to treat wounds, burns, strains, and joint pain.

Pests and diseases
Generally free of problems in good soil, but prone to diseases in wet soils. Mammal pests generally avoid this plant.

../Leaf Spots/ ../White Mold/ Decay (storage): ../Blight/s, ../Scorch/ ../Basal Rot/ ../Crown Rot/ ../Bulb Rot/ ../Root Rot/ ../Mosaic/ Flower Streak
 * Didymellinia macrospora
 * Ramularia vallisumbrosae
 * Sclerotinia narcissicola
 * Stagonospora curtissii
 * Sclerotinia polyblastis
 * Fusarium oxysporum var. narcissi
 * Pellicularia rolfsii
 * Sclerotium delphinii
 * Penicillium
 * Sclerotinia narcissi
 * Cylindrocarpon radicicola
 * Narcissus Mosaic Virus

White Streak Yellow Stripe ../Nematodes/
 * Narcissus Silver Leaf Virus
 * Narcissus Yellow Stripe Virus

Root Lesion Stem and Bulb Rot ../Aphids/ ../Maggots/ ../Caterpillars/ ../Mites/ ../Millipedes/
 * Pratylenchus
 * Ditylenchus dispaci
 * Tulip Bulb Aphid: ../Dysaphis tulipae/
 * Lesser Bulb Fly: ../Eumerus tuberculatus/
 * Narcissus Bulb Fly: ../Merodon equestris/
 * Convict Caterpillar: ../Xanthopastis timais/
 * Bulb Mite: ../Rhizoglyphus echinopus/
 * Bulb Scale Mite: ../Steneotarsonemus laticepi/
 * ../Orthomorpha gracilis/