Narcissus << nahr SIHS uhs >> is a large group of early spring flowers with lovely blossoms. Narcissuses are often called daffodils. Certain narcissuses are also sometimes called jonquils. They were named for the legendary Greek youth Narcissus. Narcissuses are native to Europe and Asia, but many are cultivated in North America. In Europe, in the springtime, fragrant masses of wild narcissuses cover the alpine meadows. People like them because they have fragrant and delicately fashioned blossoms of yellow, white, or sometimes pink or orange. The narcissus has traditionally been considered one of the flowers of the month of December.
Narcissuses grow from brown-coated bulbs. Narcissus bulbs are poisonous. Gardeners usually plant narcissus bulbs in the fall. The flowers are perennial.
There are various types of narcissuses. All of them send up shoots with sword-shaped leaves. The flowers have six petals surrounding a trumpet- or cup-shaped tube, which may be long or short.
A short-trumpet species (kind) is the poet’s narcissus. It produces a single, wide-open blossom on each stalk. Generally, the blossom has white petals surrounding a short, yellowish cup with a crinkled red edge.
The paperwhite narcissus, also called the cream narcissus, is a short-trumpet species that can be grown indoors in winter from bulbs placed on pebbles. Most cultivated types have large clusters of pure white flowers that are heavily scented. When breeders cross the paperwhite narcissus with the poet’s narcissus, they get improved varieties, including types with flowers of two different colors on the same plant. People value these beautiful hybrids.
