Last year I posted a theory about succession flowering in species narcissus. I theorized that some species had a succession of flowers to ensure that if the first did not have the conditions that enabled pollination then the second and third gave it another chance and therefore greater assurance of survival of the species. I got no response to the theory so here is another go and a challenge.
Photos of N ‘Nylon’
Successive flowering clearly evident
One bulb of Nylon with three flower buds from the one bulb ready to flower in successive weeks.
Here is the challenge.
If breeders have managed to transfer the green from N viridiflorus into standard daffodils it would enhance the value of standard bulbs if a cultivar consistently produced three flowers per single bulb.
PS I know that Nylon is not a species but it was what was available to illustrate the point.
Hi Dave,
I have my own views and experiences on this; email me off-list and i’d be happy to discuss.
-Sara
Dave:
Bob Spotts’ Mesa Verde, is green and often makes three standard shaped flowers to the stem. Also ‘Emerald Sea’ usually throws several flowers to the stem in its seedlings. Unfortunately many that have N. viridiflorus in their background have very weak and long peduncles that don’t support the weight of the flowers very well.
Harold
Harold,
I didn’t write my piece very clearly. The Nylon has three stems from one bulb. If someone could get three stems from one standard bulb, which was not dividing, then they could be on to a winner.
Sara, I don’t have your address. Mine is
.
Thanks,
Dave
There are some rebloomers that send up secondary (or tertiary buds) in my plantings. They tend to be from the jonquil tribe or their hybrids. Steve Vinisky sent out some and Brent Heath is now releasing cultivars that are long and floriferous bloomers. There are bulbododium cultivars that can throw quite a few flowers such as Golden Bells. This may be another front in the breeding game that could invigorate public interest in new daffodil cultivars.
Have you looked at ‘Bell Song’? It regularly surprises me with repeated crops of blooms. As Michael says, it’s a jonquil.
Janet