Grow Narcissus romieuxii

Grow Narcissus romieuxii

Hoop petticoat or early flowering daffodils in a profusion of white or yellow flowers.
Narcissus romieuxii

Narcissus romieuxii ‘Julia Jane’ is a small, low-growing daffodil with rough dark green leaves similar to Narcissus bulbocodium but distinguished by short wavy petals and protruding stamens. Flowers are pale yellow blooming well each year between late December and March. This is an early flowering species and is a native of Morocco
White flowering Narcissus romieuxii ssp. Zaianicus flowers in the very depths of winter and is unusually precious.
Protect your plants under glass, in pots in an alpine house, or planted out in a bulb frame. Although they will withstand at least 15 degrees of frost while in full flower without being damaged, if exposed to the wind and rain of a typical English winter, the pristine flowers spoil. Also, the bulbs need complete desiccation in summer, and it is difficult to ensure this in the open garden. If you doubt this advice read this from the Alpine Garden Society.
‘A few years ago I read that a distinguished grower of Mediterranean bulbs never completely dries them off, but leaves the pots in a sand plunge which is kept slightly damp in summer. When I followed this prescription for N. romieuxii, the bulbs were smaller, failed to multiply, and no flowers whatever were produced the following winter. When I reverted to the previous treatment in which the pots were lifted from the plunge in early May as the foliage withers and placed on a hot sunny ledge without any water for three months, it took two years for full vigour to be restored. I repot into fresh gritty sandy John Innes No 3 in the first week of August, water heavily, and keep the compost moist until growth starts. If there is no frost, I water with a dilute feed every two weeks throughout the winter.’

The best supplier I have found so far is Pottertons but let me know if you know of other companies.

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