Need Help Identifying

These bulbs are being given to me but with no ID

Looks like a Narcissus of some sort.....hoping someone will recognize it! Thanks for looking!

The bloom transforms slowly

Eventually looking like this

Looks like an Narcissus 'Golden Ducat'

I looked at Golden Ducat and the "double" petals seemed to be symetrically aligned to one another.....whereas this flower's petals are
almost in disarray...so I'm not sure that it's the same

Looks very much like Rip Van Winkle

Could it be Butter & Eggs? it's an old daff, if it is, you're lucky to have it.

Whatever it is, it's beautiful! I have "Butter and Eggs" (well I thought I did, at least)! And mine is not solid yellow and not so poofy. Maybe mine is mis-ID'd though.

Howdy Nery! Are you as far behind schedule with blooms as I am? Will our much colder than usual winter I am almost a month behind where I usually am!

If it is tall and not dwarf it is the heirloom Van Sion, = N. telemonius plenus

the flower head is about 7- 8" above the ground.....I don't know if that qualifies it as a dwarf
It's probable that it is 35-40 yrs old...at least the group has been in its location that long...planted years ago by the husband of the dear friend who is passing it on to me.

The "bud" starts out a greenish color and takes a few days to open up fully changing color as it goes.

It hasn't bloomed for at least 10 years....just the foliage....until this year when we had a hard freeze and snow....all the other Narcissus
we have,...have bloomed profusely....more so than normal....and I'm attributing it to the "extra" cold....is that a proper assumption?

This message was edited Feb 28, 2010 10:09 PM

I've been lookin' around for info on the Butter & Eggs and the Van Sion.....I'm leaning toward Van Sion because of the pattern of the flower petals (or lack of)...and the fact that the Van Sion tends to have green in the coloration.....but I'm not totally convinced. However,...one other note I've made is that this particular narcissus is NOT mentioned as one commonly grown in our zone...but rather where the temps are colder....which would possibly explain why this bulb hasn't bloomed in so long....not until we had a colder than normal winter this year

any comments or ideas?

I'm wondering if the folks at Old House Garden can ID this for u. They are always so helpful. you ought send them the pic and see.

Not recognizing it. I thought of these, but not a match. Patti

Thank y'all for your comments....I'll pass on any info I discover!

BTW - the height is actually closer to 11 - 12 " tall....I went out & measured some

Thanks again, Lee

Lee... I have some as far as I can tell about the same as yours, and I was told they were King Alfreds?? Maybe i need to research that! In the sun they are taller about14" than in partial shade about 7".

Just googled, and boy was my source dead wrong on what she had..LOL... the problem is these came from her deceased MIL who planted them at least 45 years ago!

This message was edited Mar 7, 2010 7:54 AM

Hi Becky - well,...these have been in their present location for at least 40 yrs....and I've not seen them bloom (until now) for the past 12 yrs
I'm thinking that the extra cold weather we had recently....had some influence for that to happen....I'm still tryin' to get a solid ID
The Van Sion looks very much like them....they do have a greenish tinge in the blossom. Sigh! part of the fun of discovery, huh?

Lee....I looked up the Van Sion and I'm not sure if that is what mine are or not. Mine have a little orange in the bloom, but the article said they varied from year to year. The discovery is wonderful, especially when you have been blessed to add something to your garden that has been around for centuries!! I'll take pics of mine in a bit.. now my curiosity is up..LOL

http://www.oldhousegardens.com/vanSion.asp

My Van Sion. Patti

Thanks, Patti! You know,.....that bottom flower looks very much like the one I posted on Feb 27 and some of the other ones....and then there other
blossoms slightly different in shape & color......similar to the top flower in you pic.

One note....since our weather has warmed to the uppr 60's lo-70's during the day.....the last remaining blooms are sickly and withered a little....
with no vitality.

Vossner...great idea! Their info base is good and includes the Van Sion (thanks for the convenient link, Becky)

Having reviewed the description-photos at Old House Gardens and looked at Patti's photo....I feel pretty confident that these are Van Sion

Here is the best source. Lots of pictures and some that look just like yours, it has many names and looks. Patti

http://daffseek.org/query/query-detail.php?value1=Telamonius%20Plenus&lastpage=1&which=hist1

Thanks Patti....goin' to look now!

It is a confusing one, known by many names, Narcissus Telamonius Plenus, such as in 1907 by Arthur Martin Kirby as Narcissus Double Van Sion and many other names. Patti

I appreciate the lead! I'm now convinced that what I'm receiving are in fact N. telamonius plenus (Van Sion)....because of what I just read and pictures I saw.
Yesterday,....I went to photo them some more and,...as I indicated earlier post....they looked kinda ragged....I assume because of hot weather....but anyway,...there was one,.....mostly green.....and looked almost exactly like the green one pictured on the 2nd row...far right
not exactly formed very well.....looked,...well,...in my opinion,...kinda malformed or in disarray.

Thanks again, Patti....I really appreciate your input (and others too!) Lee

WillisTxGarden, Don't you love a BINGO. I had 2 this month from others on DG for plants in my garden that I had no idea of what they were. So helpful and fun to do the hunt.

Now I am just waiting for my Narcissus or any bulbs to bloom. Patti

(smile) You've described it perfectly....

We've been blessed with a better than normal output of blooms for most of our early blooming Narcissus.....N. tazetta italicus began blooming early Jan.....our jonquils have been blooming like crazy as well....for the past 2 weeks or so (not intending to be rubbing it in) Recent years past,...our winters have been on the warm side....the blooms have been sparce for some species
I would think that that your peak bulb season would probably coincide with the beginning of our Hot Dry season...so there's both good and not so good aspects for each locale

Thanks, I will await our peak with pleasure. Enjoy yours. Patti

Lee.. I'm hijacking your thread and I'm sorry, but I am thinking mine aren't Van Sion. Mine are more creamy yellow with a dark yellow center ring, if that makes sense. Sorry it's blurry

Here's one fixing to open

Hmmmmm......Becky....I wouldn't be too surprised if yours WERE...... Van Sion..... 'cause when I visited the page at daffseek (see Patti's - bbrookrd's post - Mar 8th....@ 9 clicks up)....and read about this Narcissus Telamonius Plenus (aka - Van Sion)......and saw the pics that showed examples of just how varied the flower form and coloration can be........I was kinda "wowed" a little

Considering what I've learned from that information......and comparing your pics with mine.....makes me make that comment


Patti........what is your opinion on Becky's Narcissus?

Here's a photo of one of mine opening

Well,...I meant to send this 1st....but an earlier stage of opening

Then later,...it became

Look,...again,.. at the pics Patti posted earlier......and compare the form of your 1st pic to the one she has...although the coloration is different
the shape is similar....with another form right beside it ...shaped like your other one.

Hey Lee!!! I hope it is a Van Sion!!!! How cool would that be to have something that has been around since the 1600's??!!! I can say the one in full bud is going out so to speak, cause it was a little darker yellow as a whole a couple days ago when i told you I'd take the pic. YAY!! Mine are on the North side of the house, and maybe that could be a reason for the different coloration as well? Thanks!! This is exciting!!

Becky

Looks beautiful WILLISTXGARDEN... I love daffodils.

Could it be Scrambled Eggs?I was told that is what I have and they came from an old houseplace.

Go look at the website Patti posted and check out Van Sion......think you'll find it interesting!

Glad I came across this. Some of these are growing by an abandoned farm house down the road from me.

A rescue seems in order!

man... wish I lived in NC..LOL

I have this same daffodil.. Mine have lots of green in the bloom. I dug it up from my husband's Grandmother's house.. It had never bloomed there.. and was buried too deep.. I LOVE it..