Narcissus Hillstar

Narcissus ‘Hillstar’ is a fragrant daffodil bursting with freshness, prized for its bicolour flowers of lemon yellow and cream white. It is multi-flowered, bearing several blooms on a single stem. Use it in borders, rockeries, pots or naturalistic beds. Planted in well-drained soil, rather dry in summer, this bulb blooms each year faithfully and gradually forms clumps.

This narcissus belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family. It is commonly called narcissus, daffodil or jonquil, although botanically speaking the true jonquil is Narcissus jonquilla.
'Hillstar’ is a horticultural cultivar of Division 7, the Jonquilla and Apodanthus group, recognisable by very narrow, almost cylindrical leaves and often fragrant flowers, borne in small numbers on each stem. It was selected by Grant E. Mitsch in the United States and registered in 1979. Its parents are the cultivar ‘Daydream’ and the wild species N. jonquilla. ‘Hillstar’ has received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society and is also listed among the daffodils distinguished by the American Daffodil Society.
The plant is perennial from its bulb. It forms a low clump of linear, medium green to slightly glaucous green leaves which emerge in late winter, then turn yellow and disappear after flowering: the foliage is therefore deciduous. The stems reach 35-40cm. They bear up to three flowers about 6cm in diameter. Each flower has six lemon-yellow, spreading tepals lightening towards the base into a white halo. The central crown is short, cup-shaped, very pale yellow to cream white, softly crinkled at the margin. The fragrance of the flowers is sweet, typical of jonquils. Flowering occurs in March-April depending on climate.

In the garden, plant the bulbs in small groups, in the foreground of a border, at the foot of deciduous shrubs or at the edge of a lawn that will be mown late. You can pair daffodil ‘Hillstar’ with Anemone blanda ‘Blue Shades’, Muscari ‘Valérie Finnis’, Tulipa humilis ‘Persian Pearl’, and Fritillaria persica ‘Adiyaman’ in the background. It also forms a perfect duo with Narcissus ‘Pueblo’.

For flower arrangements: we advise you not to mix daffodils with other flowers. Daffodil stems contain a substance that quickly wilts other flowers. This harmful effect can be mitigated by dipping the end of the daffodil stems in hot water for 1 to 2 minutes.

Daffodils return each year. Unlike other perennial plants, it is unnecessary to apply fertiliser before flowering. Only cut the leaves when they have yellowed and then apply fertiliser: it is at this point that the bulb replenishes itself and prepares flowers for the following year.