REPLY: Growing bulbs from seed - ATOW
DaveKarn@aol.com (Wed, 24 Sep 2003 08:36:16 PDT)

In a message dated 23-Sep-03 10:36:03 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
janemcgary@EARTHLINK.NET writes:

Jane, Jim ~

The modern daffodil is a tetraploid. The first three divisions are quite
fertile with each other and are the source of much of the breeding taking place
today. Open pollinated seed occurs commonly in these hybrids. Oddly, as many
have observed, there never seem to be seedlings arising from the seed
scattered from those capsules. I suspect the reason for this is consumption of the
seed by birds, as the seed (when fresh) is big, black and shiny and rests on the
surface of the soil -- easy pickings for sharp eyed seed eaters. In my
current lease here in OR, there are small groups of wild turkeys that move through
and I suspect that it is the rare seed that escapes these creatures!

Daffodil hybrids involving one of the species and a 4n parent, however, tend
to be triploid and, thus, infertile, or only marginally so. Many of the
commoner species (and species diploid hybrids) will also set quantities of OP seed
(but not the scarcer and far more desirable ones!!). The interesting thing
about many of these is that the very small capsules are chock-a-block full of
seed -- I've counted over a hundred seed from one small bulbocodium capsule!
There are so many seed that they tend to be angular so they can all fit in,
rather than the spherical form otherwise normal.

I've found N. triandrus triandrus (albus) to readily set seed when manually
pollinated. With respect to OP seed, however, Jane has far better luck in her
controlled environment than I do with these things grown outdoors where they
have to take what 'ol Ma Nature throws their way. Honestly, I've never really
noticed obvallaris, although every year I see great quantities of OP seed
capsules on N. minor and the various hybrids involving this one, e.g., 'Little
Gem.' They have to be unfailingly removed to keep the stocks free of unwanted
seedlings. I used to collect and sow this seed but never got anything to
justify the time involved. Some of the jonquil and bulbocodium hybrids might even
be termed "weeds" here in Oregon (I suspect the daffodil community will strike
me dead for such blasphemy) as they will always OP with promiscuous abandon.
Same result for the seed, however.

Best,
Dave Karnstedt
Cascade Daffodils
Silverton, Oregon, USA
Maritime, Mediterranean climate, USDA Z7-8
email: davekarn@AOL.com