Narcissus Twinkling Yellow

Narcissus Twinkling Yellow is a selection from a botanical species called Narcissus jonquilla var henriquesii, once cultivated in Grasse for perfume production. This excellent variety is more vigorous, hardier, and more floriferous while retaining the wonderful fragrance of its ancestor. Each stem carries 5 to 6 small golden yellow flowers early in the season, lasting for one and a half months. The plant requires a very sunny exposure and well-drained soil, even dry in summer. 

Narcissus belong to the amaryllidaceae family. The genus Narcissus includes about 50 species mainly found in the western Mediterranean, but also in Africa and Asia. Narcissus jonquilla var henriquesii is a small wild jonquil native to Portugal, loving the sun that "bakes" its bulbs in summer, with remarkably fragrant flowers and almost grass-like, thin foliage. Its stems do not exceed 25cm (10in) high.

'Twinkling Yellow', selected in the United States, has received the prestigious Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society in England. It is classified in division 7 of narcissus, which includes forms close to botanical species. In this cultivar, each bulb carries one to two inflorescences, each producing between 3 and 5 flowers. The small, bright golden yellow flowers exhale a delicious fruity fragrance. They sometimes bloom as early as mid-February, depending on the climate, continuously for one and a half months.

Ideal in rockeries, borders or containers, Narcissus Twinkling Yellow is very hardy and will grow in any soil as long as it is well-drained. There is such a choice of varieties among narcissus that you can enjoy them for three months in spring without getting bored for a single moment. They can all naturalise easily, love yellow and white, and often emit sweet fragrances. So many reasons to grow them in large clumps (at least 20 bulbs) for a mass effect. In natural beds, grow them with scilla and Anemone blanda, with botanical tulips, forget-me-nots and small grasses like Stipa. A group of Twinkling Yellow Narcissus in a pot placed near the house or even in a cool room will diffuse an exceptional fragrance. It is simply perfect in a rockery.

Daffodil or Narcissus? Botanically speaking, daffodils are part of the narcissus family. They have flowers grouped in pairs or more and their corolla forms a campanulate trumpet longer than it is wide. Botanical species have the charm of wild plants and thrive in rockeries: N.bulbocodium, N. canaliculatus, N.juncifolius, N.pseudonarcissus and the simple wood jonquil, are among the prettiest. In vases, we advise you not to mix narcissus with other flowers, such as tulips in particular, as the stems of narcissus contain a substance that quickly withers other flowers. This detrimental effect on other flower species can be mitigated by dipping the ends of narcissus stems in hot water for 1 to 2 minutes.