Narcissus – Sweet Smelling Winter Flower

Winter is here and it seems the only flowers left blooming after a hard freeze in my yard are the Paper White Narcissus. I’ve grown them for many years and always cut them and put them in a vase to give my home a sweet aroma. They grow from bulbs and bloom in December in the part of Texas, where I live, but usually tend to bloom in early Spring. Pickupflowers.com states that, “The genus Narcissus encompasses dozens of species, hybrids, varieties, and forms. Jonquils, Daffodils, and Paper whites are the most popular varieties of Narcissus.11 I don1t have Jonquils in my yard

Paper White Narcissus gro’1ving in my front garden but have seen them growing in the wild when l1ve been out hiking. They have dark green leaves and clusters of small yellow blossoms. They are the most fragrant of all the kinds of narcissuses. Daffodils can come in many colors and are probably the most common type of Narcissus. l1ve also grown many varieties of daffodils, mostly yellow colored. Paper white Narcissus flowers are very easy to grow. They are grown from bulbs and don’t require a lot of work. Normally, I plant the bulbs and forget about them until they begin to appear in winter. After some years, I usually dig up the bulbs and separate them as they multiply. I have many patches of Narcissus in my yard and look forward to them blooming every year. These flowers are truly a bit of sunshine in another wise barren winter landscape.
Kevin A.