Let's all grow Cyclamineus

It still surprises me the flowering time differences between us all here when it comes to flowering the various bulbs we all grow. On this frosty morning as I look out over the Ocean watching the last dark grasp of night relinquish her cloak to the first pale streaks of mornings promise, the extent of the grey white frost becomes more apparent.

In the garden close to the house, Narcissus Cyclamineus are almost in full bloom. There are fifteen of the little charmers waiting anxiously to greet the new day.

With most narcissus, they can be grown out of their regular safe and comfortable growing zones, but they never look totally at home in warmer climates. Generally their growth is less vigorous and their charming flower scapes are mostly stunted.

When it comes to Narcissus Cyclamineus it is a surprise to me that all gardeners, regardless of where we are living around this amazing planet of ours are not at least trying to flower this Narcissus.

I do not know its current status, but this narcissus was listed when I first started growing it by Flora Europaea as a separate species in the Pseudonarcissus. I think it still sits in Division Six.

This charming damp tolerant narcissus has been around for some considerable time.

There was, or should that be is; a fine line drawing illustrated way back in 1633. Yes that's right, some three hundred and seventy years ago, this appeared in the publication, Theatrum Florae. Then, the bulb in literature at least, seems to have dropped off the radar of the horticultural world and for the next two hundred years. Serious doubts arose as to its existence.

Since joining the International Bulb Society some years back, I have read that Dean Herbert presented a complete review of the Amaryllidaceae in which he clearly states; 'that Narcissus cyclamineus is an absurdity which will never be found to exist.'

The bulb was again re-discovered in 1885 by Messrs. Tait and Schmitz in or near Oporto.

In cultivation, this narcissus is one of the first delights of the mid winter garden, brightening up the soils with its spectacular form and colour. The flower is quite unique, always pendant, the corona is a long, narrow tube up to sometimes an inch, with petals about the same length strongly reflexed so that the line of the petals and the corona are almost the same. That is, reflexed to a hundred and eighty degrees.

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