Daffodil Types, Historics, Standards

Does anyone know this poet?

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Can anyone lend some help with identifying this one?
It is a mid-season poet (surprisingly almost early season some years), which grows in profusion in the immediate local area here.  As I’ve discussed with Sara VanBeck, it is common enough here to be a rival in numbers to Van Sion.  Considering that and the places it occurs, I have no doubt it is of historic age, but didn’t want to limit my search to the historic listserv members.
It is a small bloom, about 2″ or 52 mm or so.  It is of standard height usually.  (For that and other reasons, it is not Minuet).
The outside shots below are of it as a fully mature bloom, starting to age slightly.  The indoor after a couple days in a cup.  One could possible code this W-GYWR.  The white band below the medium red is standard throughout every example I’ve seen (best show in the outside pictures).
It is not finicky and blooms and spreads with vigor.
I’ve looked extensively through daffseek and to my eye can distinguish it any I’ve searched.  Could it a species?
Your thoughts appreciated.
With Regards,
Drew Mc Farland
Granville, Ohio

 

 

3 comments for “Does anyone know this poet?”


  1. I’ve had a private reply to my inquiry suggesting it may be  N. poeticus hellenicus.  I’d find this a promising possibility if one imagines early sources digging in the wild and shipping off whatever was found.  Can any species experts confirm?
    Thanks to all of you who have replied to the inquiy.
    Regards,
    Drew Mc Farland


  2. Hello Drew,
    I would suggest that your unknown poet is indeed a species. N. poeticus hellenicus.
    Mine are in flower at the moment and they have a distinct white band below the red rim. I agree with your colour coding which would be13W-GYWR. They grow to about 450mm tall (18inches) and are 45- 50mm in diameter.
    Hope this helps.
    Tony
    Further information re the provenance.  I obtained my bulbs several years ago from Kate Reade who had it in her catalogue at that time. An impeccable source, and it has multiplied  well since then.
     It has been shown a few times at Harrogate Show over the years where it has been a consistent winner judged by John Blanchard who would certainly have questioned it if it had been incorrectly named.
    It won again this week and was the best species daffodil in the show. I will send a picture when they are sorted out.
    Tony

  3.  

    Well, I have it from a couple very good sources that the poet I was inquiring about is not hellenicus either.  As a late attempt on daffnet, I took a picture of many of the poets blooming here now, together.  The unknown one (two flowers, bottom right) are pretty much past it, as are some of the others.  It may however be useful in terms of what things look like all at the same time.
    As can be seen, the unknown is a little larger than Sea Green, perhaps more so than shown here as SG has just opened and the unknown is so old.
    The reason I’ve rejected the idea of it being a random hybrid, at least a recent one, is that the flower is widely entreached in local patches, but many well-removed from each other.  Again, placements would suggest a very old cultivar.  Intermediate to (low) standard height.  Flowers uniformly around 2″/50-52mm.  Mid-season and long blooming.  For additional comparison, Recurvus will probably open in about three or four days.
    Thanks again for all of your thoughts.
    Regards,
    Drew Mc Farland
    Granville, Ohio


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