Narcissus Brackenhurst

Narcissus 'Brackenhurst' bears a large flower with a wide golden yellow corolla topped with a frizzy crown that is bright orange on the outside and redder on the inside. This old variety has proven itself. It multiplies rapidly in the garden, forming beautiful clumps in sunny flower beds within a few years. With its short and sturdy stem that withstands the wind, it is a superb flower for vases and beds. It is a hardy and easy-to-grow plant, as brilliant as it is colourful.

Narcissus 'Brackenhurst' belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family. More precisely, it belongs to division 2 of the large narcissus family, which consists of 13 groups. The genus Narcissus includes around 50 species mainly found in the Western Mediterranean, but also in Africa and Asia. Like most large-cupped daffodils, 'Brackenhurst' comes from cross-breeding between N. poeticus and N. pseudonarcissus, or even N. incomparabilis. It is an excellent English creation from 1977, awarded in 2008 in the United Kingdom. The plant produces a sturdy and strong stem that reaches a height of 40cm (16in) when in bloom. It is an early-flowering plant, in March-April, with a large yellow-green flower bud that opens up into magnificent flowers, 10cm (4in) wide. The flowers have six petal-like tepals. The six stamens are inserted into a cup-shaped crown or paracorolla, with a bright orange-red colour. The linear foliage is deciduous, disappearing in summer.

There are so many daffodil cultivars that one can enjoy them for three months in spring without ever getting tired. They all have in common the ability to naturalise easily, to offer an infinite range of yellow and white shades, and to often emit sweet fragrances. Grow them in large clumps in lawns or at the edge of flower beds (at least 20 bulbs) for an enhanced effect. Pair 'Brackenhurst’ with squills, hyacinths, double tulips, forget-me-nots, pansies, or liverworts. A group of 'Brackenhurst’ daffodils in a vase creates a sensational effect. This daffodil is also perfect in pots.

Native to Southern Europe and North Africa, they bear flowers grouped in twos or more. There is also the botanical species that has retained the charm of wild plants and thrives in rockeries: N. bulbocodium, N. canaliculatus, N. juncifolius, N. pseudonarcissus are among the prettiest.

For bouquets, we advise against mixing daffodils with other flowers, such as tulips, as the stems of daffodils contain a substance that causes other flowers to wither quickly. This detrimental effect on other flower species can be reduced by dipping the ends of daffodil stems in hot water for 1 to 2 minutes