Narcissus Eastertide

Narcissus 'Eastertide' produces double pompom-like flowers with a frilly golden yellow corolla topped with a plump heart of the same bright yellow colour. Its flowering occurs in April, in the middle of the daffodil season. This medium-sized variety bears remarkable flowers for bouquets. This perfectly hardy plant is easy to grow in well-drained soil.

Narcissus 'Eastertide' belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family. The genus Narcissus includes about 50 species mainly found in the western Mediterranean, but also in Africa and Asia. Narcissus 'Eastertide' is a hybrid variety belonging to group 4 of the horticultural division of daffodils, which is the double-flowered daffodils. They are among the oldest cultivars. 'Eastertide' was obtained in the Netherlands in 1959. It is a robust plant that has proven itself. The plant produces a very sturdy stem 45 to 55cm (18 to 22in) tall when in bloom. It is a mid-season blooming plant, in April, with a large yellow-green floral bud that gives way to magnificent flowers, composed of a dense core of small crinkled golden yellow petals, intertwined with each other, on a corolla of large pointed and translucent petals, which are also golden yellow. Double-flowered daffodils have an additional crown of petals and have a long flowering period. The linear foliage is deciduous and disappears 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 'Eastertide’ with bluebells, hyacinths, double tulips, forget-me-nots, pansies, or liverworts. A group of 'Eastertide’ daffodils in a vase creates a sensational effect. This daffodil is also perfect in pots.

Botanically speaking, daffodils are part of the narcissus family. They bear flowers grouped in twos or more and their corona forms a campanulate trumpet longer 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, the simple wood jonquil, 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.