Practical
Plants

Narcissus jonquilla

Jonquil

a member of the Narcissus genus in the family Amaryllidaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Height
0.3 m
Spread
0.1 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Although we have no records for this species, many if not all members of this genus are poisonous[K].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Flowers - raw or candied and made into desserts[4].

Plant part
Flowers

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An essential oil obtained from the flowers is used in perfumery[9][2][3]. 1 kg of flowers yields 1g absolute of essential oil[7].

Product or use
Essential

Environment

Range
Europe - Mediterranean.
Habitat
Rocky hillsides, often on limestone[10], also in meadows and damp places[8].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. A short stratification will improve the germination of stored seed. Sow the seed thinly so that the seedlings can be left undisturbed in the pot for their first two years of growth. Give them an occasional liquid feed in the growing season to ensure they do not become nutrient deficient. When the plants become dormant in the summer, pot up the small bulbs placing 2 - 3 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on for another one or two years in the greenhouse before planting them out when they are dormant in late summer. Division of bulbs after the leaves die down in early summer[1]. Larger bulbs can be replanted immediately into their permanent positions, or can be stored in a cool place and then be planted out in the autumn. It is best to pot up the smaller bulbs and grow them on for a year before planting them out when dormant in the autumn.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a deep rather stiff soil but succeeds in most soils[1]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Easily grown in a dry sunny position[10]. Prefers an alkaline soil with a pH between 7 and 8[5]. A very ornamental plant[1], it is widely cultivated around the Mediterranean for its essential oil[8]. The blooms, which are almost intoxicatingly scented, have an undertone of orange in their perfume[6]. The double form, 'flora Pleno' is even more powerfully scented[6].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969-00-00 ISBN 0192176218

    ↩

  3. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩

  4. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩

  5. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  6. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩1↩2

  7. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  8. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  9. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  10. Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30253-1

    ↩1↩2

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