I live in a warm, dry part of California and find a lot of
daffodils are not long lived here. There seem to be three
different reasons. Daffodils that are susceptible to basal
rot will eventually succumb because the fungus will be
active when the soil is warm and moist. Daffodils that
bloom late will decline because warm spring weather will
force them into dormancy before the bulb has had enough
time to rebuild itself to its initial (and preferably
larger) size. Daffodils that prefer mild summers with
a little moisture (like cyclamineus hybrids) may be
dessicated in my hot, dry summers. Most of the modern
hybrids will live longer where winters are cold and
spring stays cool for a long time. On the other hand,
the species Narcissus from Mediterranean climates
like my climate and have been surviving and increasig
over the years. Tazettas are also long lived here.
Kirby Fong
kfong@alumni.caltech.edu