Seed pods - good or bad?
DaveKarn@aol.com (Mon, 28 Jun 2004 23:04:21 PDT)

In a message dated 28-Jun-04 4:05:06 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
johnbryan@worldnet.att.net writes:

All ~

This argument has been going on in the daffodil world for years. With
respect to daffodils, the situation is just a little different. As has been
observed (in other submissions to the list) geophytes that set seed take longer to
senesce but do so almost immediately the seed is ripe. The daffodil stem is
green and alive all through the seed ripening process and undoubtedly functions
as a leaf photosynthesizing what the plant requires to keep it from drawing
down the reserves in the bulb. As a daffodil hybridizer, a given bulb in my
patch will often carry a seed pod each season. It doesn't seem to affect the bulb
as it will bloom the next season seemingly without loss of vigor.

I know of no particular experiements that have been done with daffodils and
to examine this phenomenon. It may be, on the other hand, that enough energy
is drained (in spite of the photosynthetic contribution of the stem) from the
bulb to preclude its dividing that year; I've never looked at the issue that
closely to know for certain. Bulb increase by division usually occurs each
season under a normal growing situation.

Dave Karnstedt
Cascade Daffodils
Silverton, Oregon, USA
Cool Mediterranean climate with cool/cold wet winters and warm, dry summers.