Narcissus Lancaster

The Narcissus ‘Lancaster’ captivates with its slender habit, delicate flowering, and soft, nuanced colour palette. This small-crowned variety offers white flowers with a greenish-yellow heart, delicately frilled around the edges, which brighten spring landscapes from April onwards. Hardy, it thrives in light, well-drained soil, in sunny or lightly shaded positions. In borders, rockeries, or pots, it structures displays while lending them a natural elegance. Simply take care to avoid excess moisture in winter, especially in clay soil.

The Narcissus or Daffodil 'Lancaster' is a horticultural cultivar of Daffodil belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family. The Narcissus genus encompasses a great diversity of species and varieties, whether botanical, like the poet's narcissus, or resulting from horticultural selections. Among them, the true jonquil (Narcissus jonquilla) is distinguished by its fragrant yellow flowers and its fine leaves reminiscent of rush foliage. However, in some regions, the name jonquil is commonly used to refer to the trumpet daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus), which perpetuates the confusion between these two quite distinct plants. The 'Lancaster' is classified in Division 3 of daffodils by the Royal Horticultural Society, characterised by small-cupped flowers. This cultivar is distinguished by its white flowers with slightly reflexed petals, surrounding a shallow, ribbed and frilled corona, of a yellow hue with a green base and an orange rim. The flowers measure approximately 9 cm in diameter, are slightly fragrant, and appear from mid-April to the end of May. The plant reaches a height of 35 to 45 cm and has an upright habit with linear, green, and deciduous leaves. The root system is bulbous, with fibrous roots extending 15 to 20 cm deep. The Narcissus 'Lancaster' makes an excellent cut flower. Daffodils are often used in gardens for their ability to repel pests thanks to the toxicity of the bulbs and leaves.

In a spring garden, the Narcissus ‘Lancaster’ will play a delicate and bright note. Its graceful habit and refined flowering harmonise wonderfully with the bluish simplicity of Brunneras, wood hyacinths or grape hyacinths, and with the finely divided foliage of spring ferns. It fits naturally into an informal border or a light woodland setting, and in pots placed on a step or windowsill. For a floral picture full of nuance, pair it with the pastel softness of the Narcissus ‘Pink Charm’.

For cut flower arrangements: We advise not to mix Daffodils with other flowers, particularly tulips. Daffodil stems contain a substance that causes other flowers to wilt quickly. This detrimental effect on other types of flowers can be attenuated by dipping the cut ends of the daffodil stems in hot water for 1 to 2 minutes.