Narcissus Snowtip

Narcissus 'Snowtip' is a recent and unique variety. It has received the Trial Garden Award from the KAVB, the Royal Dutch Association for Bulb Development, in recognition of its numerous qualities. It faithfully returns every year, bearing an abundance of beautiful fragrant flowers. They are a very pale yellow-green, adorned with a wide, flared and fringed bright yellow crown with small white spots. They emerge quite early in the season, almost sparkling among its new foliage. This variety naturalises easily in the garden, forming beautiful clumps in sunny beds in just a few years. With its medium-sized stem, it is a superb bouquet flower. It is an easy plant to grow. 

Narcissus 'Snowtip' was introduced in the Netherlands in 2008. It belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family. More precisely, it belongs to division 2 of the large narcissus family, which has 13 divisions. The genus Narcissus includes about 50 species found mainly in the western Mediterranean, but also in Africa and Asia. 'Snowtip', like the majority of large-crowned narcissus, is the result of cross-breeding between N. poeticus and N. x pseudonarcissus, or even N. incomparabilis. The plant produces a solid stem of about 45cm (18in) in height when flowering. It flowers in early April, with a large yellow-green floral bud that gives beautiful 11cm (4in) wide flowers. They are pleasantly scented when fully open. The flowers have six pale-yellow petals with greenish reflections. They are very wide and slightly plicate. The six stamens are inserted into a cup-shaped, flared paracorolla, 3.5cm (1in) long, almost as wide as the corolla. They are curiously plicate and fringed at the edges. It is bright yellow with white spots along the edge. The foliage is linear and deciduous, disappearing in summer. 

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 'Snowtip' with squills and hyacinths. Plant the bulbs with forget-me-nots, daisies, chamomiles, or liverworts. A group of 'Snowtip‘ daffodils in a vase creates a sensational effect. This daffodil is also perfect in pots.

Daffodils are actually narcisuss, belonging to division 7 of the group. Native to southern Europe and North Africa, they have flowers grouped in pairs or more. There is also the botanical species that has retained the charm of wild plants and thrives 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.