Dear friends;
For this week's topic (actually 10 days) we are lucky to have two
views of a fascinating spring bulb topic. The first is posted below and the
second will follow tomorrow. Sure to promote a long wish list for fall
bulb purchases.
Dave Kanstedt -
Smaller narcissus have been Dave Karnstedt's focus well before the
start of his nursery 'Cascade Daffodils' in the mid-80s in MN. He is now in
not quite 'balmy' Oregon and is currently not selling bulbs. He hopes to
change that soon.
For more glowing words on Dave see
http://greatplants.com/growers/david_karnstedt/…
THE LITTLE DAFFODILS IN SPECIES FORM by Dave Kanstedt
There are a number of smaller species and forms of the genus
Narcissus that make interesting and rewarding plants for special areas in
rock gardens, particularly when several of them represent a significant
challenge to grow successfully. Most daffodil species are native to the
countries bordering the Mediterranean, the majority to the Iberian
Peninsula. They grow where there is a distinct rainy season and a
corresponding dry season. Several of them grow in montane regions, at
altitudes up to ten thousand feet; still others grow at sea level.
Daffodils have been grouped into a horticultural classification that
arranges them in Divisions (1-13) that correspond to certain
characteristics. This formal classification system enables one to
categorize them for showing and other purposes. There are also used over
those 13 Divisions, primarily for show bench purposes, three general
groupings based loosely on height of the plant and diameter of the
bloom: miniature (usually under 12" in height and 50 mm in width);
intermediate (12-14" tall and less than 80 mm in width); and standards
(indeterminate height but greater than 80 mm in width). One issue I have
long been in opposition to is considering a small bloom on a tall stem as
"miniature." To my mind, it begs the very definition of miniature. The
same is true of the recent designation of Intermediate. As far as I am
concerned, the flowers so grouped should be miniature or intermediate in
all their characters! As might be expected, species daffodils vary widely
in height and width.
Perhaps the smallest, overall, is N. asturiensis known at one time as N.
minimus. This little trumpet daffodil is all of three or four inches tall
with a tiny flower barely wider than a fingernail. The trumpet is often
serrated to the point of being fringed and is bigger than would be
appropriate for the perianth. That's the showman speaking! For the average
individual able to succeed with this snowmelt species, clumps of this in
earliest spring can be very rewarding. Recently, there have come on the
market gross examples masquerading as this species. Supposedly, N. minor, a
common and highly variable species across much of Spain ranges in size from
the tiniest forms, e.g., asturiensis, to examples almost as large as
standard daffodils. In the latter case, something so large loses all
pretense for being "miniature" and is best ignored. It may be that,
ultimately, this little gem will be recognized, sadly, merely as a very
small form of N. minor. Succeeding in a well drained gritty, pH 6 soil kept
wet during periods of growth and dryish during dormancy (although not "bone
dry" but shaded from the heat of the summer sun much as it would be by
grasses and forbs in the mountain meadows that are its home) will be to its
liking. Intercross the blooms and plant seed each year as my experience has
been that this is not long lived. The most difficult part is actually
obtaining it!
N. minor has been the parent to many small hybrids most of which are both
very similar and hopelessly mixed in the trade. Because things like 'Little
Gem,' 'Bagatelle,' and 'Wee Bee' are such good growers, they are widely
available. Just don't be convinced that you're getting what you ordered -
even from specialists! The species, its forms/sports and hybrids all open
pollinate readily but seldom produce anything that is different or
better. If you don't care if they do, i.e., the more the merrier, don't
pick the pods before they open and let them seed about. If you want to keep
the clone pure don't let the seed drop in place.
Another little species (with almost sessile blooms on two to three inch
stems) that is delightful when sited in an area above a pathway where it
can be readily seen is N. rupicola rupicola and it's still quite scarce
white form, rupicola waterii. The yellow form can be found growing in
pockets of humus in rocks in its homeland that are wet during growth and
bone dry during dormancy. It is sometimes amazing to see just how little
material there can be in these pockets. Despite the alkaline nature of the
rocks on which this is often found growing, the decaying humus provides a
distinctly acid environment. This is not particularly easy to grow in
captivity, although, when happy, it can be long lived for a species. I've
had the same few bulbs for over ten years most of the time growing right in
the field. They bloom faithfully each spring, but they have shown no
tendency to crowd into a host of daffodils! The scarce white form requires
cooler conditions, damper, distinctly acid soils and protection from the
heat of the summer sun when dormant. Since this and asturiensis are so
small, they really should have some protection from the elements and, of
course, slugs! I mulch mine with a layer of poultry grit to protect them
from rain-splashed soil because I use them in hybridizing.
The yellow form of this species is one of the parents (the other is N.
poeticus) of a group of rather widely available hybrids, e.g., 'Sundial,'
'Sun Disc,' 'Bebop,' and 'Little Sentry.' One distinctive and outstanding
clone from this group is 'Clare.' It is well worth tracking down, and not
only because it is a good do-er, as it is a charming flower in its own
right. One goal I have, as a hybridizer, is to remake this Alec Gray cross
with better forms of both parents. There is the problem of getting pollen
to a flower that does not bloom in sync with the pollen donor! One of the
problems with this species is that the pistil/stigma of rupicola is well
down in the tube and the flower needs to be torn open to reach it. In a
way, this is something of a blessing in disguise as the tube can be gently
rolled between one's fingers to dislodge the pollen from the anthers (that
occur above the stigma) and pollinate the bloom (without tearing the bloom)
and, in this way, one can obtain a few seed each season. With any of the
daffodil species, it is always wise to plant a few seed each season as
insurance.
The white form, waterii, has been used successfully a few times over the
years to produce both standard ('Ocean Spray, 'Dainty Miss') and miniature
('Xit,' 'Yellow Xit,' etc.) hybrids. One of the loveliest I've seen (at
least from its photo) is a seedling obtained from triandrus triandrus
(albus) and waterii pollen and named 'Craigton Coquette.' It is illustrated
with a fine photograph on page 412 of Volume 71 of the Bulletin of the
Alpine Garden Society, "The Alpine Gardener," taken when the exhibited pan
won a P.C. in April 2003. Two older, very attractive but virtually
unobtainable hybrids of different form than the above hybrid with triandrus
triandrus (albus) are 'Raindrop' and 'Icicle.'
That little vignette serves as a good segue to one of the more popular
species, N. triandrus triandrus, (in its many forms) that seems to do well
where happy, even modestly seeding about. This is one of the few species
that I am able to field grow without any particular attention. I will
pollinate several florets of the various better formed/colored examples in
the group to gain a small amount of seed to plant each season. A number of
forms have been given sub-specific rank based on color in this, another
widely variable species. People who've seen triandrus triandrus growing in
the wild in Spain (where it can be locally abundant), report seeing almost
every color, form and size in the range somewhere in all those examples. I
grow mine out in the field, in an acidic soil, lightly fertilized each
fall. After senescence, I will cover the soil with a barrier to keep it dry
and prevent the Sun from heating the soil. Even while ostensibly "dry"
during dormancy, there is usually a bit of moisture in the soil nonetheless
but for most Narcissus species, moisture and soil warmth is an invariably
fatal combination. In all the years I have grown this species from seed, I
have never bloomed a clear white one, although I once saw in a show an
exquisite example like no other! The flowers of triandrus triandrus (albus)
have a slight central thickening of tissue in each perianth segment that
tends to a faintly yellowish hue. While distracting close up, at a
distance, this is not as noticeable and is only a consideration for a
hybridizer trying to improve on what Nature has provided!
There is a form of this species, known as loiseuleurii, that is said to be
native to the Iles des Glenans off the coast of NW Spain/SW France. I don't
recall if it has ever been found there in the wild since its original
discovery, however. The plants now seen descend from collections made in
the last century. It all parts, it is a rather more robust form of the
species with larger flowers of somewhat better substance and form,
although, oddly, not as permanent as the basic species. It tends to
increase bulb size, rather than splitting, and may be a natural tetraploid;
work should be done to verify if this is the case. It is fertile and is
often the form that has been used to produce Division 5 standard daffodil
hybrids that, until recently, have all been infertile.
Some of the best miniature hybrids, e.g., 'April Tears,' Woodstar,'
'Hawera,' 'Angel's 'Whisper,' etc. have been produced with the species in
combination with various species/forms of the jonquilla group. There are
few finer miniatures than a well-grown stem of 'April Tears,' particularly
when the stem has five blooms all open and arranged to one side in order of
ascending size. For the most part, these hybrids will do well just about
everywhere. 'Hawera,' when happy, can often grow so tall (14-16") as to no
longer be miniature. Because the latter is a much better grower than the
former, one will usually get this clone when purchasing 'April Tears' off
the shelf. 'April Tears' is best purchased from specialists to be assured
of the correct clone.
The best for last! N. cyclamineus is a unique species, there is no other
remotely like it! The segments of the perianth reflex so tightly that they
are in the same plane with the trumpet, i.e., 180 degrees. Native to
wooded, riverine benches in Portugal, this species has long been thought
extinct. Recent discoveries have in Portugal, happily, proven this not to
be the case. If you can keep it content (quite acid, humusy soil that
never dries out and shaded from the heat of the summer Sun), intercrossing
the blooms will produce a modest amount of seed each year that should be
sown to keep the species in your garden. The form of the species has been
transmitted into a whole range of both miniature and standard hybrids. The
best forms inherit both the long trumpet and the sharply reflexed perianth
of the species, along with the downward facing pose and can be most
attractive. There are both yellow and white forms in these miniature
hybrids and a considerably greater color range in the standard hybrids. All
of the miniature hybrids are most desirable little daffodils for the rock
garden, although it will take some searching to find a source.
I have barely touched on several of the better-known species. There is a
whole range of bulbocodium and cantabricus forms and hybrids out there that
remain to be addressed. Many of these tend to be winter bloomers and are
best in mild climates or grown under cover. Then there are the species of
the multi-flowered Jonquilla group, again, left to another time. There used
to be just a handful of daffodil species/forms but, in recent years, this
has ballooned into dozens, nearly all naturally occurring hybrids between
adjacent species. There are very few that I've even seen or ever expect
to! With so much to choose from, the botanists are having a field day
reclassifying and renaming all these forms!
While I have grown daffodils for over five decades (and went into business
to combat an overly aggressive case of "collectivitis"), I find that I
still am learning something each spring with growing these small species
and their hybrids. One of the major goals in hybridizing is to introduce
color into the hybrids. At the moment, alas, one has a limited
choice: either white or yellow usually concolorous and, occasionally,
bicolored. The definitive (and very handy) reference for descriptions and
photos of the commonly encountered miniature daffodil species and hybrids
is a publication put out by the American Daffodil Society, "Miniature
Daffodil Cultivars." It is available for twenty dollars from the American
Daffodil Society, 4126 Winfield Road, Columbus, OH 43220.
--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
E-fax 419-781-8594
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +