Bulb Information, Daffodil Types, Growing Daffodils, Species

chinesesacred lily

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 Hi to all daffnetters,
 
 My first posting for the new year .Hope the lifting ,grading  etc is going wellfor all the southern growers and the anticipation [ and the bulbs ] isrising for our northern members.  The first few blooms we have seen are a welcome view of hopefully many to follow.
 
Today 26  January is the first day of the Chinese  New Year.
I have  N Z chinese neighbours and very close friends for over  30 years  —  they have become keen daffodil fans after that long tolerating me.
I printed out the link from  Will  DeWees on Chinese Sacred Lily and over a delightful  Chinese meal  [ I,m pretty smart with  chopsticks] ,
quite a few questions arose that I could,nt answer
 
Your help is requested , please.
 
 Daffseek lists C S L as subspecies  tazetta  lacticolor
Where is the species naturally  found  —  probably  Europe  or  North Africa.
 
Is it accepted that it was taken to asia  by Marco Polo  —  can this be verified  by wriings  etc.?
 
IS  there a large variation in the forms found in different  locations on the  Silk  Road ?
 
Have modern  scientific means  [possibly  D N A  tests ]  concluded  that the Asian  forms  and the Western forms are the same  ?  I
 
Is it at all possible that the Asian  form was an  original that was taken to Europe , again over the  Silk Road highways  ?
 
Enough questions for one evening..–
 
My neighbours tell me that small presentation packs of  C S L  sell very well as New year gift in Hong Kong  —  also  quite  expensive.
They are probably naturally openning about now  in Hong Kong and southern China  —  will be much later  in the north of such a hugh country.
 
Cheers  John  Mclennan

4 comments for “chinesesacred lily”

  1. There is no doubt that the Chines sacred lily is was brought from the west, narcissi don’t grow further east than Greece . Moreover it is a triploid  form of tazetta. Having been grown for so many centuries it is bound that deviations are found somewhere. Other triploid tazetta’s  are : Caniculatus, Odoratus, Flore Plenus, Grand Soleil d’Or 
    Ben  

  2. John,
    You might also print out the link to “Daffodil Bulb Carving” which is on the ADS website under Links.
    Mary Lou

  3. Dear John,
     
    The CSL was probably brought to China by Portuguese merchants via the sea.
    Many years ago (in the’80s), after a visit to China, I included in the ADS journal a story about Chinese painters in a southern province who painted for me several sheets in watercolours and included a poem about this Narcissus which every child in China had to learn by heart. http://www.amo-bulbi.it/tav_Narciso_cinese.htm
    The flower is much loved by the Chinese.
    Best regards.
       Henry (Rome) 

  4. Oh! How lovely! Perfect for a cold, snowy day. Thanks for sharing.

    Alice ( title=).

    > Dear John,
    >
    > The CSL was probably brought to China by Portuguese merchants via the sea.
    >
    > Many years ago (in the’80s), after a visit to China, I included in the ADS
    > journal a story about Chinese painters in a southern province who painted
    > for me several sheets in watercolours and included a poem about this
    > Narcissus which every child in China had to learn by heart.
    > http://www.amo-bulbi.it/tav_Narciso_cinese.htm
    > The flower is much loved by the Chinese.
    > Best regards.
    > Henry (Rome)
    >

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