Narcissus cyclamineus Tête-à-tête

Narcissus 'Tête-à-tête' is a botanical dwarf daffodil that produces charming little yellow flowers. Each stem carries 2 to 3 flowers. The foliage is sparse. The flowering begins in February-March and lasts a long time. It is easy to grow in well-drained soil. This hardy plant settles quietly in the garden. Dwarf varieties are ideal for ornamenting rockeries and planters.

Narcissus 'Tête-à-tête' belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family. The Narcissus genus includes about 50 species mainly found in Western Mediterranean, but also in Africa and Asia. The cyclamineus species, from which it originates, is native to northwest Portugal and northwest Spain, and owes its name to its outer petals that form a completely reflexed corolla, like cyclamens. This characteristic is often greatly reduced in its hybrid descendants. This botanical species grows in non-limestone soils that are well-drained and never dry out in summer. Its direct descendants are excellent daffodils for humid climates in summer, but not adapted to prolonged summer drought, which makes them quickly disappear.

Narcissus 'Tête-à-tête' is close to this species. It is an old English horticultural creation, dating from 1949. It is a small vigorous plant. Its foliage reaches about 15cm (6in) in height. When in bloom, it reaches about 25cm (10in). Its slightly perfumed and delicately bicoloured flowers are composed of a corolla of somewhat translucent lemon-yellow petals on which is inserted a relatively short, slightly undulate coronule of a more intense yellow. It is a very early flowering plant that naturalises in the garden within 3 or 4 years through the production of bulblets.

There are so many daffodil cultivars that one can enjoy them for three months in spring without ever getting tired. They all have in common the ability to naturalise easily, to offer an infinite range of yellow and white shades, and to often emit sweet fragrances. Grow them in large clumps in lawns or at the edge of flower beds (at least 20 bulbs) for an enhanced effect. Pair 'Tête-à-tête' in flower beds and rockeries with squills, crocuses, hyacinths, early-flowering botanical tulips, forget-me-nots, pansies, or liverworts. This daffodil is also perfect in pots.

Daffodil or Narcissus? Botanically speaking, daffodils are part of the narcissus family. They bear flowers grouped in pairs or more, and their corona forms a longer campanulate trumpet than the corolla is wide. The botanical species have the charm of wild plants and thrive in rockeries: N. bulbocodium, N. canaliculatus, N. juncifolius, N. pseudonarcissus are among the prettiest.

For bouquets, we advise against mixing narcissus with other flowers, especially tulips, as daffodil stems contain a substance that causes other flowers to wilt quickly. This detrimental effect on other flower species can be attenuated by dipping the ends of narcissus stems in hot water for 1 to 2 minutes.