Autumn blooming Narcissus

Narcissus tazetta has a few Autumn blooming varieties from dry Mediterranean areas that bloom when the first rains arrive in the fall and winter, these varieties don’t need a winter chill in order to bloom like most Narcissus. My Autumn colors from tazetta expert Bill Welch in California have done really well this year and have been blooming since October. They’re still blooming and should continue until Febuary because of variable genetics.

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This one resembles viridiflorus and has many stems per bulb, I might register this cultivar in the future:

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And some nice yellows:

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My seed grown Narcissus papyraceus hybrids are also flowering:

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I’m starting my own hybridization program focusing on Autumn blooming varieties and species, these Autumn colors have all set seed well with pollen I hand crossed from ziva and inbal. I have also successfully germinated Narcissus deficiens, viridiflorus, and obsoletus seeds from Spain which I will use later as a parent. I have saved pollen from many of my favorite Autumn colors to use as parents on later blooming species in order to create winter hardy Autumn blooming hybrids.

12 comments for “Autumn blooming Narcissus

  1. Thanks  for  posting  Bradley .  You  are  very  fortunate  to  be  in  an  area  where  you  can  enjoy  these  autumn  flowers  –  they  are  always  welcome  as  the  days  are  shortening  and  the  temperatures  diving .We  are  fortunate  in  my  area here  ,  Otaki   NZ  ,  to  have  mild  winters  and  thus  able  to  enjoy  these  blooms .We have  many  from  Bill  Welch  seed ,  raised  by  NZ  growers  –  he  has  been  very  generous  with  his  seed (  and  Bulb )  distribution . Starting  with  these  early  tazettas ,  I  had  cutflowers  in  the  markets  from  29  April  until  14 October  this  year ,  about  23  weeks  ;  probably  the  longest  season  I  have  had  in  over  30  years  marketing  daffs .  Good  luck  with  your  hybridizing  program  ,  Bill  is  as  generous  sharing  his vast  knowledge  as  he  has  been  with  his seeds .

  2. Very nice, Bradley.  Thanks for sharing.  Good luck with your breeding program in the future.

     

  3. Thank you for the kind responses, I’m glad to hear other people around the world are enjoying these unique Narcissus. I believe Bill Welch has extended the daffodil season longer than anyone so far and I hope to contribute to that legacy with my own hybrids.

    Here are a few more shots of Autumn colors:

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    Here is a fasciation: Img 3030

    Fat fertile seed pods:

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  4. I was glad to read Bradley McCarson’s South Carolina address. That’s near
    me (St. Simons Island, GA) relatively speaking. Closer than California.

    Since reading about the show in Indianapolis my curiosity has been piqued.
    I am thinking that is where my daffodils and I fit best. I have some of Ted
    Snazelle’s standing almost 2′ tall ready to burst their bulging pods.
    sWelch’s Autumn colors do well also.

    I struggle to make the “first” show (Atlanta) as mine are usually gone in
    Jan or Feb unlike my growing seasons in VA and NJ.

    When is the NC show, Clay?

    Jackie Turbidy

  5. Bradley,

    It sounds like you really have something going there! On one hand, I hate to see it because with Inbal and other paperwhites as parents, there is no way I’ll be able to grow anything you turn out here in Indy :(, but on the other hand, it’ very exciting to see (and practically smell) in the dead of winter. LOL!  This was my first year with Autumn Colors, which opened almost exactly 4 weeks after planting in a pot. They were on display at the entrance of the hotel in Indianapolis. So cheery compared to the plain white I usually have at Christmas!

    Best of luck!

    ~Suzy

  6. Suzy,

    No worries,  I have stored pollen from the best Autumn color parents that I will cross with hardier flowering varieties and species. My hope is to create some hardier Autumn flowering hybrids. I have over 28 of my favorite species and varieties to choose from as parents.

  7. So nice to see other people realize the potential of Autumn and also winter blooming daffodils. Go for it Bradley!

  8. Great work Bradley. Nice to see other people realize the potential for both Autumn and Winter blooming daffodils.

     

  9. Jackie Turbidy my apologies.  I saw your message, unfortunately I got distracted and didn’t get back to it until Margaret asked again.

    Our BARCO, NC show is on March 25, 2017.  It’s the same day as the Georgia, USA, show this year.

     

    Clay

  10. Hi Harold, I’ve been a huge fan of your hybrids on daffnet and they’ve been a huge Inspiration for my breeding program. I love your Autumn glory and Autumn crinkle hybrids along with your viridiflorus crosses.Truly astounding work.  Thanks for for kind wishes!

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