Narcissus poeticus
Poet's Narcissus
a member of the Narcissus genus in the family Amaryllidaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Amaryllidaceae
- Genus
- Narcissus
- 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.
All parts of the plant, and especially the bulb, are poisonous[6]. The aroma of the flowers can cause some people to get a headache when they are in a closed room[6].
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The bulb is powerfully emetic and irritant[6]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the bulb[6].
- Product or use
- Emetic
- Product or use
- Homeopathy
- Product or use
- Irritant
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
An essential oil is obtained from the flowers. 500kg of the flowers yields 1kg concrete, 300gr absolute of the essential oil[7][9].
- Product or use
- Essential
Environment
- Range
- Europe - France to Greece.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 4+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, 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 and situations[1]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Easily grown in a moist soil, doing well in grass[10] but it is slow to establish[2]. The dormant bulbs are fairly hardy and will withstand soil temperatures down to at least -5°c[4]. A very ornamental plant[1], but it is sometimes shy to flower[10]. The flowers are powerfully scented[5].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Matthews. V. The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994. Royal Horticultural Society 1994-00-00 ISBN 1352-4186
Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202
Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30253-1